Heart rate variability in Parkinson's disease patients treated with tolcapone

Following the introduction of tolcapone, a potent, reversible Catechol-O-me thyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor, it has been possible to optimise the mana gement of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients in chronic Levodopa (L-dopa) th erapy. The interaction between tolcapone and the endogenous metabolism of c atecholamines points to a possible influence on autonomic cardiovascular fu nction. Cardiovascular reflexes have been analysed in a group of seven PD patients (four males, three females; mean age 69.7 years, mean disease duration 14.1 years) by means of the heart rate variability (HRV) method using a continu ous 24-h ECG (ECGD), before and after six months of treatment with tolcapon e (in addition to L-dopa). We have observed no statistically significant differences in HRV parameters , nor any changes in the incidence of hyper-kinetic and hypokinetic arrhyth mias, which suggest that autonomic cardiovascular function in PD patients i s not influenced by six months of treatment with tolcapone. (C) 2000 Elsevi er Science Ltd. All rights reserved.