Improvement of impulse control disorders associated with levodopa–carbidopa intestinal gel treatment in advanced Parkinson’s disease

Impulse control behaviors are a frequent comorbidity for patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness levodopa–carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) therapy on impulse control disorders (ICDs) in patients with advanced PD. We conducted a multicenter, observational, and prospective (6 months follow-up) study that included consecutive PD patients assigned to LCIG through routine medical practice. Patients completed visits at baseline, 1, 3, and 6 months after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy procedure. The following outcomes were evaluated: presence and severity of ICDs and other neuropsychiatric disorders, sleep disturbances, patients’ quality of life, and caregivers’ burden. Sixty-two patients were included at baseline: mean age 72.2 years (SD ± 7.0), 42% women. Median duration of PD symptoms was 13.5 years (IQR 5.5–21.5) and median time with motor fluctuations was 5.0 years (IQR 1.0–9.0). Treatment with LCIG infusion was associated with progressive and significant improvements in ICDs symptoms over the study period (64.4% reduction in the Questionnaire for Impulsive–Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson’s disease—Rating Scale score). Psychotic and other neuropsychiatric symptoms were also significantly reduced, and patients’ sleep quality and psychosocial function improved. Caregivers’ burden remained unchanged. There was a significant improvement in the daily “Off” time [7.4 h (SD ± 4.0) vs 1.5 h (SD ± 1.8); p < 0.0001] at the end of follow-up, whereas duration of dyskinesias was not affected. ICDs significantly improved after 6-month LCIG treatment in a group of PD patients with mild-to-moderate neuropsychiatric disturbances.