-
Birgit Högl,
Diego Garcia-Borreguero,
Claudia Trenkwalder,
Luigi Ferini-Strambi,
Wayne Hening,
Werner Poewe,
Stefanie S Brenner,
Mandy Fraessdorf,
Michael Busse, Stefan Albrecht,
Richard P Allen
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Pramipexole is an effective treatment for restless legs syndrome (RLS), but no controlled studies have lasted >12 weeks.
RLS patients (N=331) with pretreatment serum ferritin >30 ng/mL were randomly assigned to take double-blind optimized pramipexole (0.125-0.75 mg/d) or placebo for 26 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was change in International RLS Study Group Rating Scale (IRLS) score. Other endpoints assessed global change, symptoms, and QoL. Patients maintained symptom diaries. Cases meeting predefined criteria for suspected augmentation were reviewed by a blinded expert panel, which used a predefined algorithm.
Among 321 patients providing post-baseline data, of whom 234 completed 26 weeks, pramipexole was more effective than placebo by multiple endpoints, including an adjusted mean IRLS score change of -13.7 vs. -11.1 (p=0.0077) and an IRLS responder rate (≥50% score reduction) of 58.6% vs. 42.8% (p=0.0044). Efficacy showed considerable country-to-country variability. Six-month incidence of confirmed augmentation was 9.2% for pramipexole and 6.0% for placebo. The rate increased with treatment duration for pramipexole but not placebo. Treatment-related adverse events (AEs) were more likely for pramipexole than for placebo, but discontinuation due to AEs was less likely.
During a 6-month period, pramipexole was effective, safe, and generally well tolerated. Because risk of augmentation may have increased over 6 months, it should be studied in longer trials. Beginning or mild augmentation is difficult to distinguish from natural RLS fluctuation, at least in a non-iron-deficient population.
Sleep Medicine 02/2011; 12(4):351-60. · 3.40 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS) have an elevated prevalence of mood disorders compared with the general population. We investigated the change of RLS-related mood impairment during treatment of RLS with pramipexole, a dopamine D(3)/D(2) agonist.
Adults with moderate to very severe RLS were enrolled in a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase IV pramipexole trial. A moderate to very severe RLS-related mood disturbance at baseline (score ≥2 on Item 10 of the International RLS Study Group Rating Scale [IRLS]) was also required. Pramipexole (0.125 to 0.75 mg once daily) was flexibly titrated over the first 4 weeks.
The intent-to-treat population comprised 199 patients on placebo and 203 on pramipexole. At week 12, adjusted mean total-score changes on IRLS were -14.2±0.7 for pramipexole and -8.1±0.7 for placebo (p<0.0001), and on the Beck Depression Inventory version II, -7.3±0.4 for pramipexole and -5.8±0.5 for placebo (p=0.0199). For IRLS item 10, the 12-week responder rate (reduction to no or mild mood disturbance) was 75.9% for pramipexole and 57.3% for placebo (p<0.0001). Study withdrawal rates were higher for placebo (20.5%) than for pramipexole (12.8%).
In patients with RLS-related mood disturbance, pramipexole improved RLS while also improving RLS-related mood impairment. Tolerability of pramipexole was similar to that in previous studies.
Sleep Medicine 10/2010; 12(1):34-40. · 3.40 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Perhaps the most important unmet need in Parkinson's disease (PD) is the ability to slow or prevent progression of the neurodegeneration that underlies the motor and nonmotor features of this disorder. Pramipexole, a dopamine agonist used for the symptomatic treatment of PD, has demonstrated neuroprotective properties in laboratory studies. The PRamipexole On Underlying Disease (PROUD) study is a randomized, double-blind clinical trial evaluating the ability of pramipexole to modify disease progression using a delayed-start design. PD patients (n = 535) with mean age 62.5 years, mean duration since diagnosis of 4.4 months, and mean total Unified Parkinson's disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) score of 24.5 were recruited. In Phase I, patients were randomly assigned to be titrated to 1.5 mg pramipexole or placebo and maintained on study drug for 6-9 months. In Phase II, all patients were titrated to 1.5 mg pramipexole and maintained on study drug until the end of the study at 15 months. No rescue medication was allowed in the protocol. The primary endpoint is the change in total UPDRS score (parts I-III) from baseline to 15 months. A range of secondary endpoints separately assess UPDRS subscales, quality of life, depression, and impulse control disorders. A sub-study examined dopamine transporter uptake scans at baseline and 15 months. The results of PROUD will provide insight into the potential for early versus delayed treatment with pramipexole to modify motor outcome at 15 months in recently diagnosed PD patients.
Movement Disorders 08/2010; 25(11):1627-32. · 4.51 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Depression is common in patients with Parkinson's disease, but evidence on the efficacy of antidepressants in this population is lacking. Because depression in patients with Parkinson's disease might be related to dopaminergic dysfunction, we aimed to assess the efficacy of the dopamine agonist pramipexole for treatment of depressive symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease.
We did a 12-week randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled (1:1 ratio) trial of pramipexole (0.125-1.0 mg three times per day) compared with placebo in patients with mild-to-moderate Parkinson's disease. Patients from 76 centres in 12 European countries and South Africa were included if they were on stable antiparkinsonian therapy without motor fluctuations and had depressive symptoms (15-item geriatric depression scale score > or =5 and unified Parkinson's disease rating scale [UPDRS] part 1 depression item score > or =2). Patients were randomly assigned by centre in blocks of four by use of a randomisation number generating system. Clinical monitors, the principal investigator, and patients were masked to treatment allocation. The primary endpoint was change in Beck depression inventory (BDI) score and all treated patients who had at least one post-baseline efficacy assessment were included in the primary analysis. We also did a pre-specified path analysis with regression models to assess the relation between BDI and UPDRS part 3 (motor score) changes. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00297778, and EudraCT, number 2005-003788-22.
Between March, 2006, and February, 2008, we enrolled 323 patients. Of 296 patients randomly assigned to pramipexole or placebo, 287 were included in the primary analysis: 139 in the pramipexole group and 148 in the placebo group. BDI scores decreased by an adjusted mean 5.9 (SE 0.5) points in the pramipexole group and 4.0 (0.5) points in the placebo group (difference 1.9, 95% CI 0.5-3.4; p=0.01, ANCOVA). The UPDRS motor score decreased by an adjusted mean 4.4 (0.6) points in the pramipexole group and 2.2 (0.5) points in the placebo group (difference 2.2, 95% CI 0.7-3.7; p=0.003, ANCOVA). Path analysis showed the direct effect of pramipexole on depressive symptoms accounted for 80% of total treatment effect (p=0.04). Adverse events were reported in 105 of 144 patients in the pramipexole group and 101 of 152 in the placebo group. Adverse events in the pramipexole group were consistent with the known safety profile of the drug.
Pramipexole improved depressive symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease, mainly through a direct antidepressant effect. This effect should be considered in the clinical management of patients with Parkinson's disease.
The Lancet Neurology 06/2010; 9(6):573-80. · 23.46 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Patients with Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) often seek treatment because of sleep problems related to nocturnal symptoms. Our goal was to test the ability of pramipexole to improve sleep in RLS patients and to reconfirm its efficacy for primary RLS symptoms.
Adults with moderate or severe RLS were randomized to receive placebo or pramipexole (flexibly titrated from 0.25 to 0.75mg), 2-3h before bedtime for 12 weeks. The co-primary outcome measures were change in Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) sleep disturbance score and International RLS Study Group Rating Scale (IRLS) score at 12 weeks.
The intent-to-treat population included 357 patients: 178 received pramipexole and 179 received placebo. At 12 weeks, the adjusted mean change from baseline was greater for pramipexole (vs. placebo) for IRLS score (-13.4+/-0.7 vs. -9.6+/-0.7) and MOS sleep disturbance score (-25.3+/-1.5 vs. -16.8+/-1.5) (p<or=0.0001; ANCOVA). Responder rates (clinical and patient global impression and IRLS) were also significantly higher in the pramipexole group. RLS-QOL score was improved over placebo at Week 12 (p<0.01) as were MOS sleep adequacy (p=0.0008) and quantity (p=0.08) scores. Nine percent of patients in each group withdrew because of adverse events.
Pramipexole is effective and well-tolerated for RLS and related sleep disturbance.
Sleep Medicine 10/2008; 9(8):874-81. · 3.40 Impact Factor
