Dopamine Agonists for RLS (AAN 2003)

Subject: Dopamine Agonists for RLS (AAN 2003)

Date: 4/8/2003

E-MOVE reports from the 55th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, held in Honolulu March 29-April 5 2003. Poster numbers, session numbers, and pages are from Neurology 2003;60.

1. Ropinirole is effective in the treatment of restless legs syndrome (RLS): A double-blind placebo-controlled 12-week study conducted in 10 countries
D Garcia-Borreguero, P Montagna, C Trenkwalder, Ropinirole RLS 190 Study Group
S05.006, A11

Two hundred eighty-four RLS patients were randomized to receive placebo or ropinirole titrated to a maximum dose of 4.0 mg/day (mean dose 1.9 mg/day) for 12 weeks. Improvement on the IRLSRS scale was -11 points in the ropinirole group, versus -8 points in the placebo group (p=0.0036). Eleven percent of ropinirole patients, and 4% of placebo patients, withdrew due to adverse events, most commonly nausea and headache.

2. Ropinirole is beneficial for restless legs syndrome: A placebo-controlled crossover trial
CH Adler, R Hauser, K Sethi, JN Caviness, L Marlor, JG Hentz
S56.007, A439

Twenty-two RLS patients received placebo or ropinirole (mean 4.6 mg/day) for 4 weeks, followed by a two-week washout and crossover to the other arm. Improvement on the RLS Rating Scale was -12 for ropinirole, versus 0 for placebo. Nausea and dizziness occurred in approximately one quarter of ropinirole patients, but no placebo patients; only one patient discontinued due to adverse effects.

3. Long-term treatment of restless legs syndrome with dopamine agonists
J Ramanyshyn, KD Vuong, WG Ondo
P04.069, A291

Of 84 RLS patients who had at least 6 months dopamine agonist therapy (mean 32 months), 31% switched agonists at least once during the therapy period, and 24% required additional symptomatic treatment. Fourteen percent stopped at some time after 6 months, half of those for lack of efficacy or adverse events. The effective dose rose slightly but significantly over time, and mild augmentation was common, especially in patients with a family history of RLS.

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E-MOVE meeting reports are funded in part by unrestricted educational grants from these sponsors:
Gold Level: Bertek Pharmaceuticals
Silver Level: Amarin Pharmaceuticals
Bronze Level: Allergan Inc., Schwarz Pharma

E-MOVE Editor: Richard Robinson, NASW, WE MOVE

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