Rapid switch from oral antiparkinsonian combination drug therapy to duodenal levodopa infusion.

Six patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) with severe motor complications were directly switched from their oral antiparkinsonian combination drug regime to nasoduodenal levodopa infusion without previously recommended transient treatment with levodopa alone. Duodenal levodopa infusion reduced motor complications to a considerable extent. We have shown that a prior change to an oral levodopa monotherapy and a slow titration of duodenal levodopa infusion may be skipped and a direct switch to duodenal levodopa is a safe option.