The effect of bromocriptine (BCT) on the on-off phenomenon

Abstract

Twenty-three patients with idiopathic Parkinson disease with classic "on-off" phenomena were studied prospectively during treatment with bromocriptine (BCT). Patients were evaluated for an average of 6 to 12 months and received an average of 56.5 mg of BCT. Nine patients (39%) showed improvement in terms of "on-off". When evaluated retrospectively, it appeared that the only difference between the responders and non-responders was a younger mean age (57.1 to 63.2).

Bromocriptine in Parkinson’s Disease: Results Obtained With High and Low Dose Therapy

“…The high dose bromocriptine group consisted of 89 patients collected from five separate studies (Glantz et al, 1981;Quinn et al, 1981;Kartzinel et al, 1976 a;Kartzinel et al, 1976 b;Lieberman et al, 1976 a). The low dose bromocriptine group included 89 different patients from four separate series (Grimes et al, 1983 a;Grimes and Hassan, 1981;Fahn et al, 1980;Lieberman et al, 1976 b).…”

Therapeutic Progress—review Xx Drug Treatment of Parkinson's Disease

“…The addition of bromocriptine may also help (14). For the more unpredictable fluctuations of the proper ON/OFF phenomena, however, these manoeuvres are less frequently helpful (15). Intravenous L dopa will overcome these slumps if a constant plasma level is maintained, but this is clearly impractical (16) and hence there is significant interest in the development of slower-release preparations for oral use.…”

Bromocriptine in the Management of End of Dose Deterioration in Parkinson’s Disease

“…Bromocriptine causes more prolonged dopamine-receptor stimulation than dopamine and patients with dose-related mobility swings on levodopa may achieve a more stable response with the addition of bromocriptine (Parkes, 1979). Previous experience with bromocriptine has shown that end of dose failure (Grimes and Hassan, 1983) is improved more than the on-off phenomenon (Glantz et al, 1981). Initial experience with bromocriptine in daily fluctuations was with high doses (Parkes et al, 1976); more recently much lower doses have been shown to be effective (Teychenne et al, 1982).…”