Objective: To determine the rate of drugs prescribed to treat Parkinson’s disease motor symptoms, the rate of the types of drug combinations, and the frequency of drug-induced motor complications in Parkinson’s disease patients.

Background: Parkinson’s disease is one of the most common progressive neurodegenerative disorders. There’s currently no cure for Parkinson’s disease. Treatments only help patients relieve the symptoms and improve their quality of life.

Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the University Medical Center HCMC, Ho Chi Minh City. The patient was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease based on the criteria of the International Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Society (IPMDS). Patients’ demographic data, information about Parkinson’s disease, and medications used to treat Parkinson’s disease were collected. Rating scales include MDS-UPRRS (Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale), and Hoehn & Yahr.

Results: Among 218 Parkinson’s patients, 33 (15.1%) patients received levodopa monotherapy, 126 (57.8%) patients received combination therapy of levodopa and dopamine agonists, 07 (3.2%) ) patients received combination therapy of levodopa and trihexyphenidyl, 1 (0.5%) patient received combination therapy of dopamine agonist and trihexyphenidyl, and 51 (23.4%) patients received combination therapy of both levodopa, dopamine agonist and trihexyphenidyl (Figure 1). A total of 217 patients were prescribed levodopa at a median dose of 375 mg. The median daily levodopa equivalent dose was 500 mg. A total of 177 patients (81.2%) used the dopamine agonist (pramipexole) with a median dose of 0.75 mg. 27.9 % of patients used an anticholinergic drug (trihexyphenidyl) with a median dose of 2 mg. The proportion of Parkinson’s disease patients with motor complications was 32.6%.

Conclusion: Levodopa was the drug most commonly prescribed to treat motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Combination therapy with levodopa and a dopamine agonist was most commonly used. Drug-induced motor complications were common in Parkinson’s disease.

Figure 1

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/medication-therapy-in-parkinsons-disease-patients-a-cross-sectional-study-at-the-university-medical-center-at-ho-chi-minh-city-vietnam/