Levodopa suspension therapy in a case of Parkinson's disease with marked wearing–off symptom

Abstract

The symptoms of Parkinson's disease are improved by oral administrations of levodopa. In several years following the start of levodopa treatment, however, wearing–off may appear and disturb the quality of life of patients with Parkinson's disease. We applied levodopa suspension therapy with frequent administrations in a case of 52–year–old man who developed Parkinson's disease at the age of 39 and suffered from marked wearing–off symptoms. He took 2 tablets of levodopa/DOPA decarboxylase inhibitors/COMT inhibitor every 3 hours a day with 12 tablets a day. However, he could not continue his work at the office because of marked wearing–off symptom. The daily dose of levodopa was suspended in two bottles together with 1000mg of vitamin C and he took it every hour between 6 o'clock in the morning and 9 o'clock in the evening. Then his symptom of wearing–off improved and he was able to continue his job. Levodopa suspension therapy with frequent administrations may contribute in stabilizing fluctuation of blood concentration of levodopa. Levodopa suspension therapy is easy to prepare at home and might be effective to release the symptoms in cases with Parkinson's disease showing marked wearing–off symptom.