Medication Reduction After DBS Placement in Parkinson’s Disease (P6.383)

OBJECTIVE: Proportion of Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients achieving the goal of at least 50[percnt] reduction in dopaminergic medications after DBS placement over a period of 3 years. Is the DBS effect being sustained over the long run and is it a disease-modifying therapy? BACKGROUND: Understanding the long term effects of DBS placement in PD patients and quantification of reduction of dopaminergic medications over a period. DESIGN: A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database at our center of PD patients undergoing DBS surgery between 2002 and 2014. Of 174 cases, 77 have been reviewed. 50[percnt] patients had PD symptom onset between age 40 and 59. 57[percnt] patients had surgery before age 60. Each patient was followed for 3 years, post-DBS. Dopaminergic medications were converted to Levodopa Equivalent Dose (LED). 50[percnt] reduction in LED has been set and proportion of patients in whom the goal was achieved at 1 month, 1 year and 3 years post-DBS. Statistical methods used were Paired Sample t-test and Group analysis. RESULTS: Mean LED, before surgery: 1251.54; post-DBS: at 1 month (638.55), 1year (776.83) and 3 years (863.55). Post-DBS, 50[percnt] dose reduction in [percnt] of patients: at 1 month (50[percnt]), 1 year (32[percnt]) and 3 years (27[percnt]). No difference in characteristics (age, age of onset of PD, duration of Levodopa treatment, number of years of PD prior to DBS placement or gender) of the patient population in whom 50[percnt] dose reduction was possible compared to population in whom it was not. CONCLUSION: In at least one-third of patients, we can decrease dopaminergic medications by 50[percnt], even after 3 years. This study provides an indirect evidence that effect of DBS is sustained over the period. Additional studies are required to prove whether DBS surgery helps in disease modification. Disclosure: Dr. Guduru has nothing to disclose. Dr. Schramke has nothing to disclose. Dr. Baser has nothing to disclose. Dr. Leichliter has nothing to disclose.