[Parkinson syndrome induced by veralipride]

Veralipride, an antidopaminergic drug commonly prescribed to counteract postmenopausal symptoms, may cause reversible parkinsonism. A 49-year-old healthy woman reported a 5 month history of progressive slowing of voluntary movements, postural changes, e.g. sit-to-stand manouevres, and gait. Clinical examination revealed moderate hypokinesia, hypomimia and plastic rigidity of the four limbs. Locomotor oscillations of the upper limbs were decreased. She had been taking 100 mg of veralipride daily to counteract postmenopausal symptoms (vasomotor flushes and irritability) for 17 months uninterruptedly. The drug was withdrawn. The patient's clinical picture fully normalized within 20 days. One year later she reported to be still asymptomatic. This seems to be a case of parkinsonism induced by veralipride, a drug known to cause other extrapiramidal signs such as bucco-facial or limb dyskinesia. To our knowledge, only one other such case has been published (a 77-year-old French woman who had been taking veralipride, prazepam and nicergolin). In both cases, the drug had been administered for longer and without intervals. In our patient the motor disturbances could not have been associated with either advanced age or interaction with concurrent medications. Therefore, this case is suspected for veralipride-associated parkinsonism. In conclusion, intoxication should be thought in case of parkinsonism arising in women taking this drug.

[Drug-induced parkinsonian syndromes: a 10-year experience at a regional center of pharmaco-vigilance]

Besides classical neuroleptics, several drugs can induce parkinsonian symptoms. The present retrospective study investigates the characteristics of drug-induced parkinsonism notified to the Midi-Pyrénées Pharmacovigilance Centre between 1983 and 1992. Among 3,923 side effects spontaneously reported between 1983 and 1992 to the center, 53 (1.4%) were drug-induced parkinsonism. Mean age was 65 +/- 2 (s.e.m.) years (range 21-88). Drug-induced parkinsonism appeared after a mean treatment duration of 473 +/- 142 days (range 1 day to 15 years) and occurred most frequently in women (63%). The occurrence onset of drug-induced Parkinsonism exhibited a bimodal pattern with a first peak (between 0 and 6 months) mainly due to peripheral or central antidopaminergic drugs and a second one later (between 9 and 12 months) due mostly to calcium channel blockers. Involved drugs were mostly antidopaminergic agents: neuroleptics (antipsychotic drugs: 39%) but also agents used for nausea or vomiting (domperidone, metoclopramide, metopimazine or triethylperazine: 12%) or symptoms associated with menopause (veralipride: 6%). Other cases were related mainly to drugs with "calcium channel blocker" properties (flunarizine and cinnarizine: 30%), H1 antihistamine (1 case), fluoxetine (1 case), alphamethyldopa (1 case) or reserpine (1 case) whereas 3 cases were due to drug interactions. Imputability scores (according to the method of assessment of unexpected drug reactions used in France) were "doubtful" (11%), "plausible" (34%) and "probable" (53%). The complete triad (tremor, akinesia plus rigidity) was seen in 13 (25%) cases. Symmetrical symptoms occurred in 41 (77%) patients. A total disappearance of the clinical feature occurred in 39 (74%) patients whereas in 8 cases (15%), drug-induced parkinsonism led to the diagnosis of underlying idiopathic Parkinson's disease. The present study shows that around 80% of drug-induced parkinsonism are due to two pharmacological classes: central and peripheral antidopaminergic agents and calcium channel blockers.

Tropisetron (Navoban) alone and in combination with dexamethasone in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced emesis: the Nordic experience

Three Nordic multicenter studies were performed between 1988 and 1992 to evaluate the efficacy of tropisetron (Navoban; Sandoz Pharma Ltd, Basel, Switzerland) as an antiemetic agent in patients undergoing various types of chemotherapy. More than 1,050 patients were recruited from cancer centers in Sweden, Finland, and Denmark. In the first two studies, chemotherapy-naive patients were studied for 6-day periods over two consecutive treatment cycles. The first study comparing tropisetron with a metoclopramide cocktail was performed as an open, randomized, multicenter, parallel-group study. All 259 chemotherapy-naive patients received cisplatin > or = 50 mg/m2 on the first day of chemotherapy; other cytostatic agents were allowed on days 1 to 6 of therapy. Patients received either tropisetron or an antiemetic cocktail of metoclopramide, dexamethasone, and lorazepam over the study period. Total control of acute vomiting during the first course of chemotherapy was achieved in 63% of patients in the tropisetron treatment group and in 64% of patients in the antiemetic cocktail group. Acute nausea was prevented completely in 40% of patients in the tropisetron group and in 61% of the metoclopramide cocktail group during course 1 (P < .001). For delayed nausea and vomiting, there were no significant differences between the two antiemetic regimens. Both antiemetic regimens were well tolerated. The second study compared the efficacy of tropisetron plus placebo with tropisetron plus dexamethasone for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting during cisplatin-containing chemotherapy in patients not fully controlled by tropisetron monotherapy during course 1. One hundred sixty patients were involved in this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Acute vomiting was completely prevented in 40% of patients treated with tropisetron plus placebo compared with 75% of patients treated with tropisetron plus dexamethasone (P = .001). The results for acute nausea were similar. Delayed vomiting and delayed nausea were completely prevented in significantly more patients receiving the tropisetron-dexamethasone combination than in those receiving the tropisetron-placebo combination (P < .05). Adverse events were reported less frequently in patients receiving tropisetron together with dexamethasone. The third study was an open, nonrandomized multicenter trial designed to investigate the long-term antiemetic effect of tropisetron on various types of chemotherapy and on various types of patients. An interim analysis of this study has been reported previously (Ann Oncol 4:539-542, 1993). Six hundred thirty patients were studied over a mean number of 4.6 courses (range, 1 to 19 courses) of chemotherapy. Each received tropisetron daily on days 1 to 6 of therapy. Complete protection from nausea and vomiting was achieved in 67% of the complete series. The long-term effects of tropisetron therapy remained consistent over 10 consecutive courses of chemotherapy. Tropisetron was more effective during noncisplatin treatment compared with cisplatin treatment; it was also more effective in men and in older patients (> 50 years of age). The most frequent adverse events were headache (18%) and constipation (8%).

Tardive akathisia due to sulpiride

A 56 year-old woman who suffered from parkinsonism, oro-lingual dyskinesia (OLD) and tardive akathisia (TA) due to sulpiride is reported. OLD and TA appeared after sulpiride withdrawal. The patient was successfully treated with tetrabenazine even a mild parkinsonism was present. TA seems to be related with an apparent dopaminergic hyperactivity and it has to be differentiated of other neuroleptic-induced movement disorders such as restless legs syndrome in order of an appropriate treatment. Sulpiride has the same possible side effects than classic neuroleptics.

Influence of rate of administration of raclopride on akathisia and prolactin response

The D2-dopamine receptor antagonist raclopride was administered to eight healthy male subjects, who had previously experienced akathisia following antipsychotic drugs. The influence of administration rate on onset, severity and duration of akathisia and on prolactin response was studied. Raclopride 3, 5 or 9 mg or placebo (P) was administered as single IV infusions during 10 min (R10 min/3 mg), 1 h (R1h/5 mg) or 4 h (R4h/9 mg) according to a randomized double-blind design. Despite a 24-fold difference in administration rate a similar peak raclopride concentration of about 350 nmol/l was obtained after all three infusions. Three of the eight subjects experienced akathisia following R10 min/3 mg and R1h/5 mg, respectively. After R4h/9 mg seven subjects experienced akathisia of longer duration but not more severe than after the short infusions. The incidence and duration of akathisia seem to be mainly related to the plasma raclopride concentrations over time, whereas the rate of administration might be more important for the severity. A maximal prolactin response was induced which was not markedly affected by the rate of administration.