Subacute peripheral neuropathy under duodopa therapy without cobalamin deficiency and despite supplementation

Abstract

Continuous jejunal levodopa infusion is an increasingly used therapy option in patients with Parkinson's disease who experience severe fluctuations from oral levodopa. In a number of recent reports polyneuropathy in patients receiving jejunal levodopa infusion was referenced to cobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency. We describe one of three cases from our hospital with severe subacute polyneuropathy that developed during jejunal levodopa infusion, and occurred despite vitamin substitution therapy and normal vitamin B12 and holotranscobalamin serum levels.