Effects of ceasing selegiline on clinical state and levodopa therapy (mean (SEM))
| Group I: levodopa only (n=9) | Group II: selegiline and levodopa (n=16) | Group II: selegiline ceased (n=16) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postural dizziness | 5 (55%) | 6 (38%) | 3 (19%) |
| Symptomatic motor decline | NA | NA | 13 (82%) |
| Hoehn and Yahr | 2.4 (0.2) | 2.6 (0.2) | 3.3 (0.1)b,f |
| NWUDS | 45.1 (0.6) | 43.4 (0.9) | 39.3 (1.8)b,f |
| Webster | 11.7 (1.6) | 14.7 (1.1) | 21.2 (1.4)b,e |
| Daily levodopa dose (mg) | 1157 (257) | 699.4 (91.3) | 777.5 (122.1) |
Group I and II patients were matched for disease severity at the onset of the study. After withdrawal of selegiline, motor function declined despite increased daily levodopa and the addition of dopamine agonists in 7 (44%). Comparison between groups I and II:aP<0.05;bP<0.01, two tailed ttest. Comparison between group II and group II after withdrawal of selegiline: eP<0.05,fP<0.01, pairedt test. NA = not applicable.