The use of pergolide, a potent dopamine agonist, in parkinson's disease

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Abstract
Pergolide, a semisynthetic ergoline and a potent long-acting adenylate cyclase-linked dopamine agonist, was given to 40 patients with advanced Parkinson''s disease whose response to L-dopa had diminished considerably. The group included 31 patients with marked diurnal oscillations in performance (wearing off and/or on-off phenomena). Pergolide alone (7 patients) or combined with L-dopa (33 patients) resulted in a reduction in disability (P .ltoreq. 0.01) as assessed in both the patients'' on and off periods. Pergolide also resulted in an increase (P .ltoreq. 0.001) in the number of hours in which patients were on from 3.8 (.+-. 0.4) to 11.9 (.+-. 0.9). The mean daily dose of pergolide was 2.4 mg (0.1-10.0). The mean duration of the study was 12 mo. (1-24). Pergolide is effective in Parkinson''s disease and will change the management of patients whose response to L-dopa has diminished.