Long-term treatment of Parkinson's disease with L-Dopa and Dopa-decarboxylase inhibitor: therapeutic results and side effects.

The authors present a review of their clinical experience in the treatment of 127 Parkinsonian patients with L-Dopa alone and in association with a Dopa-decarboxylase inhibitor; the follow-up lasted more than 7 years. In all cases the dosages of L-Dopa, either alone or associated with the decarboxylase inhibitor, were fairly low; the strategy was to reach in each case the minimal effective dose instead of the maximal tolerable one. After 7 years of treatment about 60–65 % of the patients had shown improvement, even though to a lesser degree than during the first and second year of therapy; the remaining 35–40 % were unchanged or worse. The authors conclude that, despite the decreased efficacy of the therapy with time, the L-Dopa treatment remains of great significance in lengthening and in improving the quality of life of Parkinsonian patients.