Long-Term Medication Profiles in Parkinson's Disease under Subthalamic Deep Brain Stimulation: A Controlled Study

Subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) reduces antiparkinsonian medications in Parkinson's disease (PD) compared with the preoperative state. Longitudinal and comparative studies on this effect are lacking.

To compare longitudinal trajectories of antiparkinsonian medication in STN-DBS treated patients to non-surgically treated control patients.

We collected retrospective information on antiparkinsonian medication from PD patients that underwent subthalamic DBS between 1999 and 2010 and control PD patients similar in age at onset and baseline, sex-distribution, and comorbidities.

In 74 DBS patients levodopa-equivalent daily dose (LEDD) were reduced by 33.9-56.0% in relation to the preoperative baseline over the 14-year observational period. In 61 control patients LEDDs increased over approximately 10 years, causing a significant divergence between groups. The largest difference amongst single drug-classes was observed for dopamine agonists.

In PD patients, chronic STN-DBS was associated with a lower LEDD compared with control patients over 14 years.