Levodopa/dopa decarboxylase inhibitor associated microscopic colitis: An under-recognized drug reaction

Microscopic colitis is a form of inflammatory bowel disease characterized by profuse non-bloody watery diarrhea. Macroscopic abnormality is not present on colonoscopy, and it requires biopsy for diagnosis. Few cases have been attributed to levodopa/dopa-decarboxylase inhibitor therapy.

A retrospective cohort study of 21 patients on levodopa/benserazide and one patient on levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel with clinically suspected or biopsy proven microscopic colitis.

All 21 patients on oral levodopa/benserazide had resolution of diarrhea with cessation of the medication. Four patients discontinued levodopa permanently. Two were rechallenged with levodopa/benserazide without symptom recurrence. One patient on oral levodopa/carbidopa developed diarrhea only with intermittent dispersible levodopa/benserazide. 14 were switched to levodopa/carbidopa with resolution of diarrhea in 9 but symptom recurrence in 5. One patient on oral levodopa/benserazide developed profuse diarrhea when switched to levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel. Of 7/22 patients who had colonoscopy and biopsy, 5 had histopathological proven microscopic colitis.

levodopa/dopa-decarboxylase inhibitor induced microscopic colitis may be more common than previously suspected, with the potential to affect treatment compliance and therapeutic options.