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Objective: To study the relative rates of progression of early Parkinson's disease (PD) in patients started on a dopamine agonist, ropinirole, or L-dopa. Methods: A double-blind study of 45 early PD patients [mean age 61 ± 9.8 SD and mean symptom duration, 26 ± 16 SD months] randomized 2 : 1 (ropinirole : L-dopa). Supplementary L-dopa was allowed if, during the trial, there was lack of a therapeutic effect. 18F-dopa PET scans were performed at baseline (n = 45) and 2 years (n = 37). Results: At two years, the mean percentage reduction in putamen 18F-dopa uptake (Kio) was not significantly different between the two groups (13% ropinirole, n = 28 versus 18% L-dopa, n = 9). Conclusions: We found no significant overall difference in underlying PD progression, after two years treatment, between patients groups. In summary, 18F-dopa PET can be employed to objectively evaluate the effect of potential neuroprotective agents on dopaminergic function.
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Received March 11, 2002; accepted April 2, 2002 Published online July 26, 2002
Acknowledgements We would like to thank Prof. O. Rascol, Toulouse, France for recruiting patients, the chemists, N. Steel and M. Constantinou for producing 18F-dopa, the radiographers, D. Griffiths, H. McDevitt and A. Blyth for assisting in scanning. J.S.R. was supported by an educational grant from SmithKline Beecham U.K.
Authors' address: J. S. Rakshi, MRCP, Specialist Registrar, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
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Rakshi, J., Pavese, N., Uema, T. et al. A comparison of the progression of early Parkinson's disease in patients started on ropinirole or L-dopa: an 18F-dopa PET study. J Neural Transm 109, 1433–1443 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-002-0753-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-002-0753-0