Orthostatic Dysregulation and Associated Gastrointestinal Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease -Treatment

Summary

Disabling symptoms of blood pressure dysregulation, impaired swallowing and digestion are common amongst Parkinson's patients. So far the exact pathophysiology for this is not fully understood. There are results from pathological analyses that the autonomic nervous system is also affected by the accumulation of alpha-Synuclein and that this might even happen in very early stages of the disease process (Qualman et al., 1984; Wakabayashi et al., 1989; Wakabayashi et al., 1990; Bloch et al., 2006). Blood pressure dysregulation is a common autonomic symptom in Parkinson's patients and treatment - currently most often achieved with Fludrocortisone - often leads to supine hypertension (Plaschke et al., 1998; Braune et al., 1999; Magerkurth et al., 2005). There are studies in patients with autonomic failure that indicate that Pyridostigmine bromide might be an alternative treatment option without causing disabling supine hypertension (Singer et al., 2003; Sandroni et al., 2005; Singer et al., 2006; Yamamoto et al., 2006). Delayed gastric emptying is also an autonomic symptom associated with Parkinson's disease. By the elevation of the cholinergic tone with Pyridostigmine bromide the investigators also expect to alleviate symptoms of delayed gastric emptying and obstipation, possibly even facilitating the uptake of dopaminergic medication through the gut (Sadjadpour, 1983; Bharucha et al., 2008). Therefore the investigators designed a monocentric randomized, controlled, double blind, crossover phase II trial to show non-inferiority of the effect of pyridostigmine bromide vs. fludrocortisone on symptoms of autonomic dysregulation in Parkinson's disease.

Timeline

Start

2012-06

Primary completion

2015-04

Completion

2016-04-01

Publications

• Background Singer W, Opfer-Gehrking TL, Nickander KK, Hines SM, Low PA. Acetylcholinesterase inhibition in patients with orthostatic intolerance. J Clin Neurophysiol. 2006 Oct;23(5):476-81. doi: 10.1097/01.wnp.0000229946.01494.4c.
• Background Sandroni P, Opfer-Gehrking TL, Singer W, Low PA. Pyridostigmine for treatment of neurogenic orthostatic hypotension [correction of hypertension]--a follow-up survey study. Clin Auton Res. 2005 Feb;15(1):51-3. doi: 10.1007/s10286-005-0225-3.
• Schreglmann SR, Buchele F, Sommerauer M, Epprecht L, Kagi G, Hagele-Link S, Gotze O, Zimmerli L, Waldvogel D, Baumann CR. Pyridostigmine bromide versus fludrocortisone in the treatment of orthostatic hypotension in Parkinson's disease - a randomized controlled trial. Eur J Neurol. 2017 Apr;24(4):545-551. doi: 10.1111/ene.13260. Epub 2017 Feb 22.

Drugs

Indications