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(Ivanhoe Newswire) A drug already used to treat Parkinsons disease is now being used to help people with restless leg syndrome (RLS).
Those who suffer from RLS are bothered by the frequent urge to move their legs, usually during sleep. Research in Germany involving 458 people with moderate to severe RLS showed improvement after using the drug called rotigotine. The drug is delivered through a patch worn 24 hours a day. The drug helps stimulate the bodys dopamine system, which plays a role in motor functions.
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Participants were divided into four groups. The first three received either a one milligram, two milligram, or three milligram dose of the drug. The fourth group received a placebo treatment. All were treated for six months.
Symptoms improved for all active drug patients, with the stronger doses providing the best results. Nearly half of the patients suffered skin irritation from the patch but most cases were mild or moderate and resolved without incident once the patch was removed. Ten patients, however, did experience more serious reactions to the drug, including elevated liver enzymes, worsening of tinnitus, non-response to anticoagulation, changes on the electrocardiogram and application site reactions.
The authors believe the drug holds promise for the treatment of RLS, but other investigators say the rotigotine patch is flawed. Writing in an accompanying report, some scientists note the drug has been temporarily taken off the market in the U.S. due to manufacturing and reliability issues.
SOURCE: The Lancet Neurology, published online May 30, 2008
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