Drug holiday and management of XXXX .

@entity1 @entity304 @entity146 @entity2045 @entity910 @entity191
Chronic treatment of @entity304 with levodopa or levodopa/carbidopa is associated with problems that include @entity910 , on-off phenomena, @entity146 , and possible loss of therapeutic efficacy. We studied the effects of a period of transient drug withdrawal (drug holiday) in 16 @entity1 who manifested these complications of chronic levodopa therapy. @entity1 were evaluated daily before, during, and after the period of drug withdrawal. Eleven of the 16 @entity1 exhibited enhanced motor responsiveness after the holiday and required only half of the initial daily dose for improved motor performance. Most levodopa-induced side effects decreased after the holiday. @entity146 was ameliorated in all cases. The frequency of on-off phenomena and @entity2045 also diminished. Sensitivity to levodopa-induced @entity910 was not affected by the drug holiday. Because most @entity1 required lower dosage after the holiday, @entity910 were no longer present. These observations suggest that @entity191 @entity1 who suffer complications of chronic levodopa therapy may benefit from a period of drug withdrawal.
