Double-blind, crossover placebo controlled trial of selegiline in Parkinson's disease--an interim analysis

The response to selegiline was assessed in ten (2 females, 8 males) idiopathic parkinsonian patients with the wearing off response. Selegiline was compared to placebo in each patient in a double blind crossover study carried out over ten months. After 16 weeks of therapy selegiline significantly prolonged response to levodopa, extending response to 3 hours (p less than 0.05) in most patients and to 4 hours (p less than 0.001) in some patients. Baseline scores (zero time: 12 hours after their previous dose of medication) were also significantly better after selegiline therapy (p less than 0.05). Selegiline did not improve peak response (1 hour after medication) to levodopa indicating that these patients were on optimum therapy prior to receiving selegiline. Adverse effects (nausea (2), dyskinesia (2), fear reaction (1) and postural dizziness (1] occurred in 5 patients during the trial.