Clinical trials for multiple system atrophy

Abstract

Multiple system atrophy is a neurodegenerative disorder characterised by autonomic, extrapyramidal, pyramidal, or cerebellar features, or a combination of these features.1,2 At present, no medications are able to slow the relentless disease progression, and treatment of symptoms is inadequate. Thus, novel disease modifying and symptomatic therapies are needed. In The Lancet Neurology, Werner Poewe and colleagues present results of a 48-week randomised, controlled, multicentre trial evaluating the potential disease modifying and symptomatic effects of 1 mg/day of rasagiline versus placebo in 174 patients with the parkinsonian subtype of multiple system atrophy.