Subcutaneous continuous apomorphine infusion in fluctuating patients with Parkinson's disease: long-term results

Fluctuations in motor disability and dyskinesias are the major problem in t he long-term treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). Many authors and oursel ves have shown that by giving patients a continuous infusion of levodopa it is possible to control motor fluctuations. Levodopa can be administered co ntinuously only by intravenous, intragastric or intrajejunal delivery. Cont inuous dopaminergic stimulation can be achieved more easily by infusing dop amine agonists subcutaneously. Apomorphine is a potent water-soluble dopami ne receptor agonist that has been shown to successfully control motor fluct uation when subcutaneously infused in complicated parkinsonian patients. We report the clinical data of 30 PD patients having at least five years of t reatment with subcutaneous continuous apomorphine infusion.