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Objectives and Methods: This study investigated the ease with which 52 Parkinson's disease patients already receiving adjunct entacapone to traditional levodopa were switched to Stalevo (levodopa/carbidopa/entacapone)., Results: The switch to Stalevo was straightforward for most patients taking standard-release levodopa with 86% of these patients being able to replace their entire regimen without having to change the amount of levodopa taken. The majority of patients (54%, P = 0.162) preferred Stalevo; 31% preferred their prior treatment regimen; 15% had no preference. Patients found Stalevo more simple to dose (94%), more convenient to use (84%), easier to handle (84%), easier to remember (67%) and easier to swallow (59%), compared with their previous medication., Conclusions: Stalevo was well tolerated, with a low incidence of adverse events. The study shows that Stalevo is an effective, preferred and well-tolerated means of delivering levodopa/carbidopa/entacapone in one easy-to-use tablet.

The objective of this study was to examine the quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) in a community-based sample (n = 228 patients) using a Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) as a measure. Associations to the variables age, age at onset, duration, clinical stage (Hoehn and Yahr), depression (Zung), and dementia (MMSE) were studied. Women scored significantly lower on five of the eight dimensions of SF-36. Depression, as measured in this study, was more common among parkinsonian women than men. Depression was the factor that was associated most significantly with the experienced quality of life, according to SF-36. With physical functioning, only the clinical stage had a more significant association than depression. To improve the quality of life in patients with PD, it is necessary to make every effort to recognize and relieve the depression of patients with PD.

We studied the environmental risk factors of Parkinson's disease (PD) in Finland, particularly those related to rural environment, in a prevalence material in 1992. The population numbered 196,864 people, including urban and rural areas. In this community-based study, we used a case-control method with personal investigation of the case subjects (n = 123) and matched control subjects (n = 246). Analyses were carried out by conditional logistic regression model. Case subjects had far fewer domestic animals at home during their lifetime, including cows, sheep, pigs, and chickens. The difference was even more obvious in those under the age of 20 years, including also cats and horses, but diminished after 20 years. The number of different animal species was smaller with case subjects as was the duration of animal contacts. Case subjects found their work physically heavier and exercised more. The mean age at onset in ever-smoking men was significantly higher than in never-smoking men. No special reason for non-smoking increased, and a physical reason decreased the risk of PD. Area of birth or living, farming and other occupations, types of drinking water, pesticide and herbicide use, head injuries, use of alcohol, education, and carbon monoxide poisonings were similar among case subjects and control subjects. In conclusion, domestic animals, or something that is connected with the animals, may have a protecting effect against PD. Alternatively, the observed negative associations of domestic animals at home and subsequent PD may only be a marker of other environmental conditions or lifestyles.

Objective: Investigation of the epidemiology of PD in southwestern Finland in 1992 (population 196,864), including urban and rural areas, with a comparison with a similar study, done in the same area in 1971, to evaluate the temporal pattern., Methods: Community-based method of patient ascertainment with personal investigation of cases., Results: The age-adjusted prevalence (to the Finnish general population in 1991) was 139 per 100,000 population in 1971 and 166 in 1992. Prevalence ratio for PD in men versus women was 1.2 (NS) in 1971 and 1.7 in 1992 (p < 0.001); in the rural versus urban populations the prevalence ratio was 0.8 (NS) in 1971 and 1.3 in 1992 (p = 0.013). The age-specific prevalence rates showed a male preponderance in all age groups in 1992 and a rural preponderance in the age groups over 60 years. In 1992, compared with 1971, the male and rural preponderance occurred in the age groups over 70 years. The age-adjusted incidence was 15.7 per 100,000 population in 1971 and 14.9 in 1992. Relative risk for PD in men versus women was 0.9 (NS) in 1971 and 1.9 (p < 0.001) in 1992, and in rural versus urban populations 1.4 (p = 0.093) in 1992., Conclusions: A very significant male and a significant rural predominance, not seen in 1971, suggests a possible environmental causative factor, perhaps more frequent in the rural environment, associated with PD. Men may be either more exposed to it or more susceptible to its effects than women.