Long-Term Experience with Safinamide in Parkinson’s Disease
Author Information
Author(s): Planas-Ballvé Anna, Caballol Pons Núria, Peral Quirós Alejandro, Gómez Ruiz Isabel, Balagué Marmaña Marta, Velázquez Ballester Alexander J., Lozano Moreno Dolors, Ávila Rivera Asunción
Primary Institution: Complex Hospitalari Moisès Broggi, Barcelona, Spain
Hypothesis
What is the long-term effectiveness and safety of safinamide in real-world clinical settings for patients with Parkinson's disease?
Conclusion
The study supports the long-term effectiveness and tolerability of safinamide in patients with Parkinson's disease in clinical practice.
Supporting Evidence
- After a median follow-up of 40 months, only 14 patients discontinued treatment with safinamide.
- The UPDRS III score remained stable among patients who continued treatment.
- The LEDD significantly increased from a median of 300 mg to 500 mg.
- Patients who did not require dopamine agonists showed stable UPDRS III scores.
Takeaway
This study shows that safinamide can help people with Parkinson's disease feel better for a long time without many side effects.
Methodology
This was a retrospective observational study of patients with Parkinson's disease treated with safinamide from February 2016 to May 2022.
Potential Biases
The cohort may not represent patients in more advanced stages of Parkinson's disease.
Limitations
The study included mostly early-stage patients, lacked a control group, and did not systematically gather data on side effects that did not lead to discontinuation.
Participant Demographics
Median age of participants was 74 years, with 90.6% in Hoehn and Yahr stage ≤2.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI 4.7 to 12.6
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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