Apomorphine: The Initial Indian Experience in Relation to Response Tests and Pumps

Continuous Subcutaneous Infusion Delivery of Apomorphine in Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review

Background

Continuous subcutaneous apomorphine infusion (CSAI) is one of the advanced therapies for Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods

A systematic review of all published articles in English on CSAI for PD till January 30, 2022 was conducted.

Results

A total of 82 articles met the search criteria. Publications included retrospective or prospective open-label observational studies, with a limited number of randomized control trials (RCT). Publications were highly heterogeneous and focused on different aspects of CSAI and included clinical audits, effects on cognition/behavior, axial symptoms, nocturnal issues, adverse events/reasons for discontinuation and comparison with other continuous dopaminergic therapies. CSAI was used in patients who presented severe motor fluctuations not resolved by oral therapy, poor candidates for deep brain stimulation (DBS) due to cognitive/behavioral issues or in those with DBS weaning effect. Recent studies have also shown that CSAI was useful for nocturnal usage in advanced PD, in addition to daytime utilization. Adverse effects were common and include skin lesions, sedation and nausea. Pump management difficulties and patient decisions were common reasons for therapy dropout, predominantly during the initial stages of the CSAI.

Conclusion

There is consistent agreement on the benefits of CSAI in reducing OFF periods and improving ON periods without troublesome dyskinesia and specific motor and non-motor symptoms. Although there is a paucity of RCTs, current data from almost 30 years of use suggests CSAI to be beneficial in advanced cases of PD.

Excessive Daytime Sleepiness in Parkinson's Disease

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is one of the most common sleep disorders in Parkinson's disease (PD). It has attracted much attention due to high morbidity, poor quality of life, increased risk for accidents, obscure mechanisms, comorbidity with PD and limited therapeutic approaches. In this review, we summarize the current literature on epidemiology of EDS in PD to address the discrepancy between subjective and objective measures and clarify the reason for the inconsistent prevalence in previous studies. Besides, we focus on the effects of commonly used antiparkinsonian drugs on EDS and related pharmacological mechanisms to provide evidence for rational clinical medication in sleepy PD patients. More importantly, degeneration of wake-promoting nuclei owing to primary neurodegenerative process of PD is the underlying pathogenesis of EDS. Accordingly, altered wake-promoting nerve nuclei and neurotransmitter systems in PD patients are highlighted to providing clues for identifying EDS-causing targets in the sleep and wake cycles. Future mechanistic studies toward this direction will hopefully advance the development of novel and specific interventions for EDS in PD patients.