DBS data for Parkinson’s
This article was originally published in The Gray Sheet
Executive Summary
Neurostimulation in Parkinson's patients may work better than drugs to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life, according to a study published Aug. 31 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The 10-site, randomized clinical trial comparing deep brain stimulation (DBS) using Medtronic's Kinetra device plus medication with best medical management alone showed that patients implanted with neurostimulators raised their quality-of-life (QOL) ratings by about 25%, said lead author Guenther Deuschl of Christian Albrechts University in Kiel, Germany. Medication-only patients reported little change. The QOL measures included activities of daily living, emotional well-being, stigma and bodily discomfort. The DBS cohort also showed a 41% improvement in motor function. However, the advantages of DBS must be weighed against the increased risk of complications, investigators warn. Of the 13 severe adverse events reported in the 156-patient study, 10 occurred within the neurostimulation arm, including one fatal intracerebral hemorrhage...
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