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A Preliminary Report of Australian Trials with L‐dopa
Author(s) -
Selby G.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 0004-8291
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-5994.1971.tb02567.x
Subject(s) - medicine , drug trial , clinical trial , physical medicine and rehabilitation , depression (economics) , physical therapy , disease , levodopa , parkinson's disease , pathology , economics , macroeconomics
Summary: Trials were commenced in Australia in several major neurological centres in December 1969. Details of the participants in the trial are described and also the methods employed. Criteria for the assessment of results are described in full and results are presented in detail. Impressive improvement was evident in akinesia, rigidity, gait, speech defects, tremor, hand‐writing, emotional state, depression and autonomic disturbances. Side effects are analysed and discussed together with significant laboratory findings. It is concluded that results of the trial are similar to reports from many earlier investigators from various parts of the world and that L‐dopa is many times more effective than any drug hitherto available in the treatment of Parkinson's Disease.