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Background/Objectives: Non-motor symptoms (NMS) are highly prevalent in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) and substantially affect quality of life. Continuous infusion therapies are established treatment options for motor fluctuations not controlled by oral medication, but their effects on NMS remain incompletely characterized. We aimed to evaluate the effects of continuous infusion therapies on NMS in advanced PD. Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane were searched for English-language original studies published between January 2005 and 1 March 2026. Eligible studies included patients with PD treated with levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG), continuous subcutaneous apomorphine infusion (CSAI), subcutaneous levodopa formulations, or levodopa-entacapone-carbidopa intestinal gel (LECIG) and reported quantitative NMS outcomes. Due to methodological heterogeneity, results were synthesized qualitatively. Results: Fifty-four studies were included. Most evaluated LCIG (n = 38), followed by CSAI (n = 14), subcutaneous levodopa formulations (n = 6), and LECIG (n = 2). Overall, 4157 patients were assessed at baseline and 2919 at follow-up. Global non-motor burden improved in 33/45 (73.3%) baseline-to-follow-up comparisons. NMSS total score decreased from 84.4 ± 35.2 to 54.9 ± 17.6. The most consistent benefits were observed for sleep/fatigue and gastrointestinal symptoms. Sleep/fatigue outcomes improved in 26/31 (83.9%) baseline-to-follow-up comparisons. Cognitive outcomes were mostly stable, while cardiovascular, urinary, sexual, and mood-specific outcomes showed less consistent benefit. Conclusions: Continuous infusion therapies may be associated with reduced global non-motor burden in advanced PD, particularly sleep/fatigue and gastrointestinal symptoms. Evidence is strongest for LCIG, while data for CSAI, LECIG, and subcutaneous levodopa formulations remain limited.

Abstract licence: CC BY

IntroductionWe evaluated continuous subcutaneously administered foslevodopa/foscarbidopa (LDp/CDp) in younger patients earlier within advanced Parkinson's disease (aPD).MethodsThis phase 3 trial included patients aged ≥ 30 years with levodopa-responsive PD, Mini-Mental State Examination score ≥ 24, and levodopa equivalent dose ≥ 400 mg/day. Patients were considered by the investigator as inadequately controlled on current oral/transdermal therapy and experienced ≥ 2.5 h/day "Off" time, with recognizable "On"/"Off" states. Patients were randomized (1:1) to LDp/CDp plus placebo capsules or orally administered immediate-release levodopa/carbidopa plus placebo infusion. This post hoc exploratory analysis focused on younger patients (≤ 65 years) earlier within aPD (Hoehn and Yahr stage ≤ 2 ["On" state], ≤ 5 years since motor fluctuations started). Outcomes included change from baseline (CFB) to week 12 in "Off" and "On" time, Movement Disorder Society Unified PD Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) II, 39-item PD Questionnaire (PDQ-39), and PD Sleep Scale-2 (PDSS-2).ResultsTwenty-six patients met subgroup criteria (LDp/CDp, n = 13; orally administered levodopa/carbidopa, n = 13). Despite small sample sizes, at week 12, LDp/CDp was associated with significantly greater improvements in "Off" time (mean [SD] CFB - 3.7 [3.1] vs - 1.6 [2.9] h; P = 0.0011), "On" time without troublesome dyskinesia (+ 3.9 [3.3] vs + 1.4 [3.8] h; P = 0.0011), and PDSS-2 (- 6.4 [4.6] vs - 1.8 [3.1]; P = 0.0220) vs orally administered levodopa/carbidopa. Mean (SD) CFB to week 12 (LDp/CDp vs orally administered levodopa/carbidopa) was + 4.2 (2.8) vs + 1.9 (4.6) h for "On" time without dyskinesia (P = 0.0878), - 3.0 (6.4) vs - 0.9 (3.5) for MDS-UPDRS II (P = 0.3539), and - 9.9 (7.4) vs - 1.9 (9.4) for PDQ-39 (P = 0.0534). For most assessments, treatment differences were numerically larger in the subgroup vs the overall population. Safety findings were consistent with the overall population.ConclusionsLDp/CDp was associated with significantly greater improvements in motor function and sleep vs orally administered levodopa/carbidopa in younger patients earlier within aPD whose symptoms were inadequately controlled by oral/transdermal therapies. Larger real-world studies are needed to confirm findings.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT04380142.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC