‘Surprising result’: Higher carbidopa dose may cut Parkinson’s off-time
Exploratory study suggests the 4:1 levodopa-carbidopa ratio may not be optimal
A higher dose of carbidopa, in combination with usual doses of levodopa and entacapone, can reduce ‘off-time’ in patients with fluctuating Parkinson’s disease, compared with standard levodopa/carbidopa combinations, according to results from an early clinical trial.
The finding casts doubt on whether the current levodopa and carbidopa ration of 4:1 is optimum, says lead researcher Dr Claudia Trenkwalder of the University Medical Centre of Goettingen, Germany.
