Background: Bradykinesia has a significant impact on the lives of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Consequently, treating this symptom is of particular concern for patients and clinicians. A number of studies have documented the efficacy of rasagiline in reducing the severity of PD symptoms.
Objective: To summarize studies that specifically examined the impact of rasagiline on bradykinesia symptoms in PD patients across disease severity.
Methods: The EMBASE database was searched for relevant articles published between 2000 and November 2010.
Results: Three studies were identified that explicitly examined the effect of rasagiline on the bradykinesia subscale of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) motor examination. In each, 1 mg/day rasagiline significantly reduced bradykinesia scores in patients.
Conclusion: As a monotherapy or an adjunctive therapy, rasagiline is an effective drug for reducing the severity of bradykinesia in PD patients.
Copyright © 2011 Informa Healthcare USA, Inc.