Five-Year Follow-up of Bilateral Stimulation of the Subthalamic Nucleus in Advanced Parkinson’s Disease
N Engl J Med. 2003-11-13; 349(20): 1925-1934
DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa035275
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1. N Engl J Med. 2003 Nov 13;349(20):1925-34. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa035275.
Five-year follow-up of bilateral stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus in
advanced Parkinson’s disease.
Krack P(1), Batir A, Van Blercom N, Chabardes S, Fraix V, Ardouin C, Koudsie A,
Limousin PD, Benazzouz A, LeBas JF, Benabid AL, Pollak P.
Author information:
(1)Department of Clinical and Biological Neurosciences, Joseph Fourier
University, Grenoble, France.
Comment in
N Engl J Med. 2003 Nov 13;349(20):1888-91.
BACKGROUND: Although the short-term benefits of bilateral stimulation of the
subthalamic nucleus in patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease have been well
documented, the long-term outcomes of the procedure are unknown.
METHODS: We conducted a five-year prospective study of the first 49 consecutive
patients whom we treated with bilateral stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus.
Patients were assessed at one, three, and five years with levodopa (on
medication) and without levodopa (off medication), with use of the Unified
Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale. Seven patients did not complete the study:
three died, and four were lost to follow-up.
RESULTS: As compared with base line, the patients’ scores at five years for
motor function while off medication improved by 54 percent (P