QUALITY-OF-LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH PARKINSONS-DISEASE WHO TRANSFER FROMSTANDARD LEVODOPA TO SINEMET CR - THE STAR STUDY

Conversion from standard levodopa to Sinemet CR was performed in a ser ies of 450 patients with Parkinson's disease. Of these, 299 experience d motor complications (group A) and 151 showed stable motor response ( group B). There was significant improvement in various parameters of e fficacy (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, Hoehn-Yahr staging, Schwab-England scale) particularly in those related to functional asp ects such as activities of daily living of the Unified Parkinson's Dis ease Rating Scale, Sleep questionnaires and the Nottingham Health Prof ile. Adverse effects were usually mild or moderate, and only 10% of pa tients discontinued Sinemet CR due to side effects. Sinemet CR treatme nt was preferred by 81% of patients in group A and by 73.8% of patient s in group B.