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Comparison of dopa decarboxylase inhibitor (carbidopa) combined with levodopa and levodopa alone in Parkinson's disease

Department of Neurology (Drs. Lieberman, Goodgold, and Jonas) and the Department of Medicine (Dr. Leibowitz), New York University School of Medicine, New York.

A double-blind study comparing the effects of carbidopa and levodopa combined in a single tablet with levodopa alone was undertaken in 50 patients with Parkinson's disease. After 6 months, there was a statistically significant improvement over baseline in total score, rigidity, and tremor only in the patients randomized to carbidopa/levodopa. In addition, 40 percent of the patients treated with carbidopa/levodopa showed obvious clinical improvement (a greater than 50 percent reduction in their total score) over treatment with levodopa alone. However, after 2 years, only 20 percent continued to show this improvement. Nausea, vomiting, and anorexia developed in 56 percent of patients on levodopa but in only 27 percent of patients on carbidopa/levodopa. However, abnormal involuntary movements, observed in 48 percent of patients on levodopa, were present in 77 percent of patients on carbidopa/levodopa. Despite the increase in abnormal involuntary movements, carbidopa/levodopa is more effective than levodopa.

Received for publication January 27, 1975.

Reprint requests should be addressed to Dr. Lieberman, 566 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. M. Hoehn Increased Dosage of Carbidopa in Patients With Parkinson's Disease Receiving Low Doses of Levodopa: A Pilot Study Arch Neurol, March 1, 1980; 37(3): 146 - 149. [Abstract] [PDF]