The Sydney multicentre study of Parkinson's disease. The first 18 months.

Low-dose bromocriptine therapy and low-dose levodopa-carbidopa therapy are being compared in a double-blind study over a five-year period as treatment for newly-diagnosed patients with Parkinson's disease. Ninety-four patients had entered the study by January 1986 and of these, 50 had been followed for six months or more. Preliminary results confirm that many patients with Parkinson's disease can be managed satisfactorily in the early stages of the disease with low-dose therapy. Three patients, all of whom were receiving levodopa-carbidopa therapy, developed dyskinesia. Twelve patients who had received bromocriptine had an inadequate response or developed confusion or postural hypotension. Of these patients, six had a poor response to subsequent levodopa-carbidopa therapy. While the initial improvement that results from low-dose bromocriptine therapy and low-dose levodopa-carbidopa therapy is less than one would expect with conventional doses of these agents, it is hoped that this approach will reduce the incidence of long-term side-effects such as dyskinesia and fluctuations.