Single‐Center Study of 103 Consecutive Parkinson's Disease Patients with Levodopa‐Carbidopa Intestinal Gel

Background Levodopa‐carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) effectively reduces off time and dyskinesia and increases on time in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). However, patients with LCIG‐infusion experience frequent complications and some discontinue treatment early on. Objectives The objectives of this study were to find predictive factors for early dropout from the LCIG infusion, analyze the treatment burden on the tertiary health care system, and explore changes in medication during the LCIG treatment. Methods LCIG‐infusion was administrated to 103 patients between July 2006 and May 2020 at the Helsinki University Hospital, accumulating 350 years of follow‐up data. We evaluated, retrospectively, changes in medication during treatment, discontinuation of the infusion, and adverse events from the patient records. Results Living alone was a predictive factor for early dropout (OR = 3.88; 95% CI = 1.03–14.66; P = 0.045). The treatment burden on the tertiary health care system increased after the initiation of LCIG infusion mostly because of common complications related to the infusion system (median change of in‐ and out‐patient visits +1, P = 0.03). Mean levodopa equivalent daily dose (LEDD) rose from baseline to 6 months (1246.7 vs. 1684.9, P = 0.001) and stabilized thereafter. Patients commonly switched from “polypharmacy” to “LCIG‐only” or “LCIG + oral levodopa” medication‐groups during long‐term treatment. Conclusions Recurrent complications related to the infusion system increase the treatment burden on tertiary healthcare system after the initiation of LCIG‐infusion. Most patients continue long‐term with the infusion. Few patients discontinue infusion during the first year after initiation and living alone appears to be a risk factor for this outcome.