Continuous subcutaneous waking day apomorphine in the long term treatment of levodopa induced interdose dyskinesias in Parkinson's disease.

Abstract

To determine whether continuous waking day dopaminergic stimulation with the dopamine agonist apomorphine can reduce levodopa induced dyskinesias in Parkinson's disease 19 patients with severe unpredictable refractory motor fluctuations and functionally disabling levodopa induced dyskinesias were treated with continuous subcutaneous apomorphine monotherapy for a minimum duration of 2.7 years A mean 65% reduction in dyskinetic severity and a mean 85% reduction in frequency and duration occurred. On discontinuing levodopa a concomitant reduction in off period time was also seen (35% of waking day "off" reduced to 10%) Continuous waking day dopaminergic stimulation with apomorphine reset the threshold for dyskinesias and led to a pronounced reduction in their frequency. Apomorphine should be considered as a less invasive alternative to pallidotomy or deep cerebral stimulation in controlling levodopa induced interdose dose dyskinesias.