Rasagiline improves quality of life in patients with early Parkinson's disease

• Published in: Movement disorders 2006-05, Vol.21 (5), p.616-623
• Main Authors: Biglan, Kevin M., Schwid, Steven, Eberly, Shirley, Blindauer, Karen, Fahn, Stanley, Goren, Tamar, Kieburtz, Karl, Oakes, David, Plumb, Sandra, Siderowf, Andrew, Stern, Matthew, Shoulson, Ira
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Analysis of Variance; Biological and medical sciences; Chi-Square Distribution; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Indans - therapeutic use; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Multiple sclerosis and variants. Guillain barré syndrome and other inflammatory polyneuropathies. Leukoencephalitis; Neurology; Neuroprotective Agents - therapeutic use; Neuropsychological Tests; Parkinson Disease - drug therapy; Parkinson Disease - psychology; Parkinson's disease; Quality of Life; rasagiline; Severity of Illness Index; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0885-3185; 1531-8257
• DOI: 10.1002/mds.20764

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of rasagiline as monotherapy on quality of life (QOL) in patients with early Parkinson's disease (PD). Rasagiline, a potent, second‐generation, irreversible, selective monoamine oxidase B inhibitor improves PD symptoms in patients with early PD. Patients with early untreated PD were randomly assigned to once‐daily rasagiline 1 mg/day, rasagiline 2 mg/day, or placebo in a 6‐month, double‐blind trial (n = 404). At the end of 6 months, patients entered the preplanned, active‐treatment phase in which those receiving 1 mg/day and 2 mg/day of rasagiline continued on their previously assigned dosages and those receiving placebo switched to rasagiline 2 mg/day, while maintaining blinding to treatment assignments. QOL was measured with the Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life questionnaire (PDQUALIF) at 0, 14, 26, and 52 weeks after randomization. Analysis of the change in PDQUALIF scores from baseline to 6 months showed adjusted treatment effects (with 95% confidence interval) favoring rasagiline over placebo of −2.91 units (−5.19, −0.64, P = 0.01) for the 1 mg/day group and −2.74 units (−5.02, −0.45, P = 0.02) for the 2 mg/day. Subscore analysis attributed most of this benefit to the self‐image/sexuality domain. At 12 months (n = 266), with all groups receiving rasagiline for at least 6 months, no significant differences in PDQUALIF scores were seen between groups. Rasagiline improved QOL compared with placebo. This QOL improvement appears to be accounted for primarily by the symptomatic benefit of rasagiline. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society