Levodopa-Carbidopa Intestinal Gel Reduces Dyskinesia in Parkinson's Disease in a Randomized Trial

Background: There are limited data regarding the effectiveness of levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) for dyskinesia.

Objective: Compare the effectiveness of LCIG versus oral optimized medical treatment (OMT) for dyskinesia in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) using the Unified Dyskinesia Rating Scale (UDysRS).

Methods: This phase 3b, open-label, multicenter, 12-week, interventional study (NCT02799381) randomized 63 LCIG naïve patients with advanced PD (UDysRS ≥30) to LCIG (N = 30) or OMT (N = 33) treatment. Dyskinesia impact was assessed at baseline through week 12 using the UDysRS. PD-related motor and non-motor symptoms, and quality of life (QoL) were also assessed.

Results: Dyskinesias measured by UDysRS were significantly reduced in the LCIG group (n = 24; -17.37 ± 2.79) compared with the OMT group (n = 26; -2.33 ± 2.56) after 12 weeks (-15.05 ± 3.20; 95% CI, -21.47 to -8.63; P < 0.0001). At week 12, LCIG versus OMT also demonstrated significant improvements in "On" time without troublesome dyskinesia (P = 0.0001), QoL (P < 0.0001), global impression of change (P < 0.0001), activities of daily living (P = 0.0006), and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) Part III (P = 0.0762). Treatment-emergent adverse events were reported in 27 (44.3%) patients (LCIG, 18 [64.3%]; OMT, 9 [27.3%]). Serious adverse events occurred in 2 (7.1%) LCIG-treated patients.

Conclusions: LCIG significantly reduced dyskinesia compared with OMT. LCIG showed efficacy for treatment of troublesome dyskinesia in patients with advanced PD while demonstrating benefits in both motor and non-motor symptoms and QoL. © 2021 AbbVie Inc. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson Movement Disorder Society.