Pergolide in late-stage Parkinson disease

Twenty-six patients with late-stage Parkinson disease were given 0.4 to 15 mg of pergolide mesylate daily in addition to, or as replacement for, levodopa or bromocriptine therapy. Despite treatment with individually determined optimum doses of levodopa, bromocriptine, and anticholinergics, they had shown response failure or fluctuating response. Forty percent (11 patients) were unable to tolerate pergolide. Nausea and vomiting, somnolence, and psychiatric disturbances were the most frequent side effects. Eleven of the remaining patients improved on pergolide, 2 were unchanged, and 2 were slightly worse. Among the patients who benefited, pergolide improved dose-related response fluctuations more than non-dose-related fluctuations, with a reduction in number and duration of "off" periods and improvement in quality of sleep and early morning akinesia but little change in freezing episodes. Despite treatment failure in many cases, pergolide is at present the best available drug for specific late-stage management problems.