A multicenter randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial of pramipexole for Tourette's syndrome

Background: Dopamine agonists could theoretically normalize the suspected central dopamine hypersensitivity in Tourette's syndrome. Methods: There was a multicenter randomized, placebo‐controlled, double‐blind clinical trial of pramipexole given for 6 weeks in 63 children and adolescents with Tourette's syndrome. Results: There were no significant differences in the adjusted mean change in the Total Tic Score of the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale for patients treated with pramipexole (−7.16) and placebo (−7.17). There were no significant treatment effects on change from baseline in the Global Severity score of the Yale Scale and parent‐ and investigator‐scored Clinical Global Impression of Improvement. In patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, there was improvement in DuPaul ADHD scale scores for patients receiving pramipexole compared with placebo. Conclusions: There was no evidence that pramipexole has efficacy in suppressing tics. Pramipexole may decrease symptoms of associated attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. © 2012 Movement Disorder Society