Device-aided therapies for advanced Parkinson disease: insights from an international survey

• Published in: Neurological sciences Vol. 42; no. 7; pp. 2961 - 2964
• Main Authors: Marsili, Luca, Bologna, Matteo, Miyasaki, Janis M., Colosimo, Carlo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.07.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agreements; Apomorphine; Brief Communication; Deep brain stimulation; Levodopa; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Movement disorders; Neurodegenerative diseases; Neurology; Neuroradiology; Neurosciences; Neurosurgery; Parkinson's disease; Psychiatry; Therapeutic applications; Advanced stages; Parkinson disease; Survey; Device-aided therapies
• ISSN: 1590-1874; 1590-3478
• DOI: 10.1007/s10072-021-05106-4

Purpose In the advanced stage of Parkinson disease (PD), therapeutic interventions include device-aided therapies such as continuous subcutaneous apomorphine infusion (CSAI), levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) infusion, and deep brain stimulation (DBS). Recent evidence has underlined the general lack of randomized, blinded, head-to-head studies on device-aided therapies for advanced PD. Methods To better clarify the real-world attitude of clinicians on this matter, we conducted an international survey of forty-four experienced movement disorder specialists regarding the management of device-aided therapies in advanced PD. Results Our international survey showed a general agreement that nowadays, motor complications are less common compared to the past (59% agreement), that guidelines to identify candidates for device-aided therapies are currently lacking (57% agreement), and that device-aided therapies will have increased demand in the future (75% agreement). Conclusions We conclude that guidelines to assist clinicians and patients to choose device-aided therapies are required.