Literature Review
Baseline Symptoms May Predict Psychosis in Parkinson’s Disease
REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), and a high burden of autonomic symptoms are associated with increased risk...
MIAMI—As a treatment for Parkinson’s disease psychosis, pimavanserin is associated with significantly improved outcomes, compared with quetiapine and other therapies, according to research presented at the Second Pan American Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Congress. “The data suggest that use of pimavanserin is associated with significantly improved treatment outcomes, both within and beyond six months of treatment,” said Conrad Tenenbaum, PhD, Senior Associate at BluePrint Research Group in Princeton, New Jersey, and colleagues.
Conrad Tenenbaum, PhD
More than half of patients with Parkinson’s disease develop related psychosis. According to Dr. Tenenbaum and colleagues, most clinicians prescribe quetiapine for Parkinson’s disease psychosis, but clinicians report that pimavanserin is more likely to provide adequate control of symptoms. To probe this discrepancy, Dr. Tenenbaum and colleagues investigated current treatments and outcomes for patients with Parkinson’s disease psychosis to improve disease management.
A Retrospective Chart Review
The researchers collected 1,800 anonymized patient charts from 200 physicians who each managed at least eight pharmacologically treated patients with Parkinson’s disease psychosis during the previous six months. Each physician contributed abbreviated charts for his or her six most recently treated patients. The charts contained information about demographics, symptoms, and treatment. The physicians also provided three detailed charts that included expanded demographic information, full treatment history, and physician-rated control of symptoms. The investigators weighted the data by physician specialty and volume of patients with Parkinson’s disease psychosis.
Of the participating physicians, 101 were neurologists, 46 were movement disorder specialists, 38 were psychiatrists, and 15 were geriatric psychiatrists. The physicians provided 1,200 abbreviated charts and 600 detailed charts.
