Elisabeth Dohin

Effects of rotigotine transdermal patch in patients with Parkinson's disease presenting with non-motor symptoms - results of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial

Non‐motor symptoms (NMS) of Parkinsons disease (PD) have a major impact on health‐related quality of life. This is the first randomized controlled trial to use the NMS Scale (NMSS) as a primary outcome to assess treatment effects on NMS in PD.

A Randomized Controlled Exploratory Pilot Study to Evaluate the Effect of Rotigotine Transdermal Patch on Parkinson's Disease-Associated Chronic Pain

Pain is a troublesome nonmotor symptom of Parkinsons disease (PD). This double‐blind exploratory pilot study (NCT01744496) was the first to specifically investigate the effect of a dopamine agonist on PD‐associated pain as primary outcome. Patients with advanced PD (ie, receiving levodopa) and at least moderate PD‐associated chronic pain (≥3 months, ≥4 points on 11‐point Likert pain scale) were randomized to rotigotine (optimal/maximum dose ≤16 mg/24h) or placebo and maintained for 12 weeks. Primary efficacy variable was change in pain severity (Likert pain scale) from baseline to end of maintenance. Secondary variables included percentage of responders (≥2‐point Likert pain scale reduction), Kings PD Pain Scale (KPPS) domains, and PD Questionnaire (PDQ‐8). Statistical analyses were exploratory. Of 68 randomized patients, 60 (rotigotine, 30; placebo, 30) were evaluable for efficacy. A numerical improvement in pain was observed in favor of rotigotine (Likert pain scale: least‐squares mean [95%CI] treatment difference, −0.76 [−1.87 to 0.34]; P = .172), and proportion of responders was 18/30 (60%) rotigotine vs 14/30 (47%) placebo. An ∼2‐fold numerical improvement in KPPS domain “fluctuation‐related pain” was observed with rotigotine vs placebo. Rotigotine improved PDQ‐8 vs placebo (−8.01 [−15.56 to −0.46]; P = .038). These results suggest rotigotine may improve PD‐associated pain; a large‐scale confirmatory study is needed.

Effects of rotigotine on daytime symptoms in patients with primary restless legs syndrome: a randomized, placebo-controlled study

Abstract Objective: This 12 week double-blind, placebo-controlled study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01569464) was conducted to evaluate the effects of rotigotine transdermal patch on daytime symptoms in patients with idiopathic restless legs syndrome (RLS). Methods: Adult patients with moderate-to-severe RLS were randomized to rotigotine (optimal dose: 1–3 mg/24 h) or placebo. A modified four-assessment version (4:00 pm, 6:00 pm, 8:00 pm, and 10:00 pm) of the Multiple Suggested Immobilization Test (m-SIT) was performed at baseline and end of 4 week maintenance (EoM). Primary study outcomes were change from baseline to EoM in International Restless Legs Syndrome Rating Scale (IRLS) and in average of means for the m-SIT Discomfort Scale (m-SIT-DS) (combined average of mean values from each of the individual assessments). Secondary outcomes included average of means of Periodic Limb Movement during Wakefulness Index (PLMWI; PLM/hour) for the combination of m-SIT. Results: A total of 150 patients were randomized and 137 (rotigotine: 92/101 [91.1%]; placebo: 45/49 [91.8%]) completed maintenance. All 150 randomized patients were assessed for efficacy. At EoM, mean change in IRLS was −14.9 ± 9.3 with rotigotine vs. −12.7 ± 7.6 with placebo (ANCOVA, LS mean treatment difference [95% CI]: −0.27 [−2.96, 2.42]; p = 0.8451). Changes in average of means of m-SIT-DS values of each individual SIT were comparable with rotigotine (−2.68 ± 2.31) vs. placebo (−2.62 ± 2.61) (ANCOVA, LS mean treatment difference [95% CI]: 0.07 [−0.61, 0.75]; p = 0.8336) and comparable reductions in PLMWI were observed in both treatment groups (8.34 [−8.50, 25.17]; p = 0.3290). Rotigotine was generally well tolerated. Application site reactions (rotigotine: 20 patients [19.8%]; placebo: 4 [8.2%]) and nausea (16 [15.8%]; 3 [6.1%]) were the most common AEs. Conclusions: Rotigotine was beneficial in improving overall RLS symptom severity (assessed by IRLS) and RLS symptom severity at various times of the day (m-SIT-DS); however, superiority to placebo was not established.

Impact of 6-month earlier versus postponed initiation of rotigotine on long-term outcome: post hoc analysis of patients with early Parkinson’s disease with mild symptom severity

Objective: Investigate impact of 6-month earlier versus postponed initiation of rotigotine in patients with early Parkinson’s disease (PD) with mild symptom severity. Background: Long-term benefit of rotigotine in early-PD has been demonstrated: SP702 (NCT00594165) and SP716 (NCT00599196) were long-term, open-label extensions of double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of 6-month maintenance; rotigotine was well tolerated for up to 6 years, and demonstrated efficacy (Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale [UPDRS] II + III below baseline) for ∼ 2 years (SP702) and ∼ 4 years (SP716). Methods: Post hoc analysis of patients at Hoehn and Yahr 1–2; groups defined by treatment received in 6-month double-blind studies: ‘Rotigotine–Rotigotine’ received rotigotine (n = 221), ‘Placebo–Rotigotine’ received placebo (n = 125). Results: At the start of open-label rotigotine maintenance, UPDRS II + III mean ± SD change from double-blind baseline was: −8.5 ± 10.6 ‘Rotigotine–Rotigotine’, −7.7 ± 9.0 ‘Placebo–Rotigotine.’ After this initial improvement scores gradually increased: It took ∼ 45 months for mean scores to cross baseline in ‘Rotigotine–Rotigotine’, and ∼ 21 months in ‘Placebo–Rotigotine.’ At the time mean UPDRS II + III had crossed baseline in ‘Placebo–Rotigotine’ (open-label week 84; ∼ 21 months), treatment difference (LS-mean) to ‘Rotigotine–Rotigotine’ change from baseline was −3.89 (95% CI −6.94, −0.84); p = 0.013. Conclusions: In this post hoc analysis, 6-month earlier initiation of rotigotine resulted in slower return to baseline mean UPDRS II + III; initiation of rotigotine in patients with minimal/no functional disability or impairment may lead to an extended benefit.

Efficacy of Rotigotine at Different Stages of Parkinson’s Disease Symptom Severity and Disability: A Post Hoc Analysis According to Baseline Hoehn and Yahr Stage

Background: The efficacy of rotigotine has been demonstrated in studies of patients with early (i.e. not receiving levodopa) and advanced (i.e. not adequately controlled on levodopa; average 2.5 h/day in ‘off’ state) Parkinson’s disease (PD). Objective: To further investigate the efficacy of rotigotine transdermal patch across different stages of PD symptom severity and functional disability, according to baseline Hoehn and Yahr (HY) staging. Methods: Post hoc analysis of six placebo-controlled studies of rotigotine in patients with early PD (SP506, SP512, SP513; rotigotine ≤8 mg/24 h) or advanced-PD (CLEOPATRA-PD, PREFER, SP921; rotigotine ≤16 mg/24 h). Data were pooled and analyzed according to baseline HY stage (1, 2, 3 or 4) for change from baseline to end of maintenance in Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) II (activities of daily living), UPDRS III (motor) and UPDRS II+III; statistical tests are exploratory. Results: Data were available for 2057 patients (HY 1 : 262; HY 2 : 1230; HY 3 : 524; HY 4 : 41). Patients at higher HY stages were older, had a longer time since PD diagnosis and higher baseline UPDRS II+III scores vs patients at lower HY stages. Rotigotine improved UPDRS II+III versus placebo for each individual HY stage (p < 0.05 for each HY stage), with treatment differences increasing with increasing HY stages. Similar results were observed for UPDRS II and UPDRS III. Conclusions: This post hoc analysis suggests that rotigotine may be efficacious across a broad range of progressive stages of PD symptom severity and functional disability (HY stages 1–4).