Should the maximum daily doses of levodopa be limited to 400 mg/die?

Abstract

Numerous studies have shown that, among other factors, high DDL's constitute a significant risk for the early development of dyskinesias. In a recently published post hoc analysis of material from the STRIDE-PD study high LDD's >400mg per day were identified as risk factors for the development of dyskinesias and the question was presented for discussion as to whether daily doses >400mg should therefore be principally avoided. The present paper reviews the consensus reached at the expert meeting from November, 2013, which critically debated on this recommendation. Evidence based on reliable work on the optimum levodopa dose is meager due to the lack of specifically controlled titration studies and is based mainly on indirect data from clinical comparative studies on levodopa vs. other dopaminergic agents: in early stages of the disease daily doses usually reached 400–600mg/die, while 700–1400mg/die were typical in advanced cases, but in all cases the variation was considerable. Seen in this light, the present authors hesitate to support the claim that LDD's should be limited to below 400mg/die. This claim has not yet been corroborated sufficiently.