Impact of pramipexole on the onset of levodopa-related dyskinesias

Dyskinesias are a major complication of dopaminergic therapy in the long-term treatment of Parkinson's disease. In the CALM-PD trial, subjects were initially randomized to levodopa or pramipexole and could later add levodopa if needed. After adjusting for disease duration and daily levodopa dosage, the incidence of dyskinesias after initiating levodopa was not significantly different among subjects initially randomized to levodopa and those initially randomized to pramipexole. (c) 2007 Movement Disorder Society