Device-aided therapies for advanced Parkinson disease: insights from an international survey

In the advanced stage of Parkinson disease (PD), therapeutic interventions include device-aided therapies such as continuous subcutaneous apomorphine infusion (CSAI), levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) infusion, and deep brain stimulation (DBS). Recent evidence has underlined the general lack of randomized, blinded, head-to-head studies on device-aided therapies for advanced PD.

To better clarify the real-world attitude of clinicians on this matter, we conducted an international survey of forty-four experienced movement disorder specialists regarding the management of device-aided therapies in advanced PD.

Our international survey showed a general agreement that nowadays, motor complications are less common compared to the past (59% agreement), that guidelines to identify candidates for device-aided therapies are currently lacking (57% agreement), and that device-aided therapies will have increased demand in the future (75% agreement).

We conclude that guidelines to assist clinicians and patients to choose device-aided therapies are required.