Homocysteine levels after acute levodopa intake in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Full Abstract

Levodopa (L-dopa) administered with a dopadecarboxylase inhibitor (DDI) increases homocysteine plasma levels. This may support the onset of atherosclerosis-related disorders and neuropsychiatric complications in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). This homocysteine elevation is considered as long-term effect of chronic L-dopa/DDI treatment. Little is known about the acute effects of L-dopa/DDI intake on homocysteine generation. The objective of this trial was to investigate the relations between L-dopa and homocysteine after acute L-dopa/DDI administration in PD patients with different L-dopa metabolism. Thirty PD patients were divided into groups with superior (I) and less (II) L-dopa absorption after standardized intake of 125 mg L-dopa/benserazide with determination of L-dopa, 3-O-methyl-dopa (3-OMD) and homocysteine in plasma at baseline, 30, 60, and 90 minutes. There was a homocysteine increase in Group I (F = 5; P = 0.005) and a moderate decrease in Group II (F = 4.27; P = 0.01). A rise of 3-OMD (F = 10.51; P < 0.0001) appeared in Group I, but not in Group II (F = 0.91; P = 0.44), accordingly L-dopa accumulation was better in Group I than in Group II. Thus, in conclusion, L-dopa metabolism is an important component for homocysteine elevation after one time L-dopa/DDI administration in PD patients. 2009 Movement Disorder Society.

Author information

Author/s: Müller, Thomas (T); Kuhn, Wilfried (W);

Affiliation: Department of Neurology, St. Joseph Hospital Berlin-Weissensee, Germany. th.mueller(-atsign-)alexius.de

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Clinical Trial; Journal Article

Journal: Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society (Mov Disord), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Jul; vol 24 (issue 9) : pp 1339-43

Dates: Created 2009/08/03; Completed 2009/10/21;

PMID: 19425084, status: MEDLINE (last retrieved date: 10/21/2009)

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