Tolcapone improves motor function in parkinsonian patients with the"wearing-off" phenomenon
A double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial
Citation Manager Formats
Make Comment
See Comments

This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.
Abstract
We studied the new catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitor tolcapone, 100 and 200 mg, three times daily (tid) in a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group trial involving 202 parkinsonian patients who were experiencing the "wearing-off" phenomenon on levodopa therapy. After 3 months, patients receiving tolcapone had a significant decrease in mean daily levodopa dose requirement compared with placebo-treated patients (p< 0.01). In patients treated with tolcapone 200 mg tid, daily "off" time, measured using patient diaries, was reduced from baseline by 3.25 hours; this reduction was significantly different from that seen in the placebo group(p < 0.01). Moreover, the number of daily levodopa intakes was reduced significantly in each tolcapone group compared with placebo(p < 0.01). We found significant improvements in motor function and overall efficacy in the tolcapone groups (p < 0.01). The most frequent adverse events were associated with levodopa treatment. Dyskinesia developed or worsened in 18% of patients receiving placebo, in 51% receiving tolcapone 100 mg tid, and in 64% receiving 200 mg tid, with most cases occurring within the first 30 days of the study. Diarrhea was the most frequent nondopaminergic event, occurring in 14% on placebo, 13% on tolcapone 100 mg tid, and 19% on 200 mg tid. Overall 18% of patients withdrew because of adverse events: 15% on placebo, 17% on tolcapone 100 mg tid, and 22% on 200 mg tid. We conclude that tolcapone as an adjunct offers promise for the relief of the "wearing-off" phenomenon in levodopa-treated parkinsonian patients.
Footnotes
-
Reprinted from Neurology 1997; 49:1066-1071, with permission.
See Appendix for names of principal investigators.
Supported by Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland.
Received February 20, 1997. Accepted in final form April 21, 1997.
Series editor: Stanley Fahn MD
AAN Members
We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.
AAN Non-Member Subscribers
Purchase access
For assistance, please contact:
AAN Members (800) 879-1960 or (612) 928-6000 (International)
Non-AAN Member subscribers (800) 638-3030 or (301) 223-2300 option 3, select 1 (international)
Sign Up
Information on how to subscribe to Neurology and Neurology: Clinical Practice can be found here
Purchase
Individual access to articles is available through the Add to Cart option on the article page. Access for 1 day (from the computer you are currently using) is US$ 39.00. Pay-per-view content is for the use of the payee only, and content may not be further distributed by print or electronic means. The payee may view, download, and/or print the article for his/her personal, scholarly, research, and educational use. Distributing copies (electronic or otherwise) of the article is not allowed.
Letters: Rapid online correspondence
REQUIREMENTS
You must ensure that your Disclosures have been updated within the previous six months. Please go to our Submission Site to add or update your Disclosure information.
Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.
If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.
Submission specifications:
- Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
- Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.
You May Also be Interested in
Dr. Jessica Ailani and Dr. Ailna Masters-Israilov
► Watch
Related Articles
- No related articles found.
Alert Me
Recommended articles
-
Articles
Tolcapone improves motor function in parkinsonian patients with the"wearing-off" phenomenon: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trialA. H. Rajput, W. Martin, M. H. Saint-Hilaire et al.Neurology, October 01, 1997 -
COMT Inhibition for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease: Articles
COMT inhibitionA new treatment strategy for Parkinson's diseaseMatthias C. Kurth, Charles H. Adler et al.Neurology, May 01, 1998 -
COMT Inhibition for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease: Articles
Tolcapone in stable Parkinson's diseaseEfficacy and safety of long-term treatmentC. H. Waters, M. Kurth, P. Bailey et al.Neurology, May 01, 1998 -
Articles
Tolcapone in stable Parkinson's disease: Efficacy and safety of long-term treatmentC. H. Waters, M. Kurth, P. Bailey et al.Neurology, September 01, 1997