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Long‐term treatment with pramipexole in restless legs syndrome
Author(s) -
Montplaisir J.,
Fantini M. L.,
Desautels A.,
Michaud M.,
Petit D.,
Filipini D.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
european journal of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1468-1331
pISSN - 1351-5101
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2006.01459.x
Subject(s) - pramipexole , medicine , restless legs syndrome , nausea , adverse effect , cohort , somnolence , pediatrics , anesthesia , insomnia , parkinson's disease , psychiatry , disease
The aim of the present study was to look at the long‐term efficacy and side effects profiles of pramipexole in a large cohort of drug naïve patients with regard to dopaminergic medications. In all, 195 consecutive restless legs syndrome (RLS) patients who were prescribed pramipexole more than 1 year previously, agreed to undergo a telephone interview to assess both the efficacy and side effects of pramipexole. Forty‐three patients had discontinued pramipexole: 20 because of side effects, six because of a lack of efficacy, six for both and 11 for other reasons. Patients who continued pramipexole for more than 1 year ( n = 152) reported a mean decrease in RLS symptoms severity of 80.9% (SD = 19.6%). At the onset of treatment, the most common side effects were nausea (30%), tiredness (9%), dizziness (8%), headache (4%), insomnia (3%), dry mouth (2%), difficulty to concentrate (1.3%) and sleepiness (0.7%), At 30 months, most patients ( n = 124/152; 81.6%) reported an absence of side effects of pramipexole. None of the adverse effects occurred in more than 5% of patients at follow‐up. The present study confirms, in a large cohort of unselected patients, that pramipexole is effective and safe in the long‐term treatment of RLS.