Effect of Safinamide on Non-Motor Symptoms and Quality of Life in Parkinson’s Disease Patients According to Sex, Age, Disease Duration and Levodopa Equivalent Daily Dose

TL;DR

This study found that safinamide improves non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's patients, with quality of life improvements varying by patient characteristics like age and treatment dose.

Contribution

The study is the first to analyze how safinamide's effects on non-motor symptoms and quality of life vary by sex, age, disease duration, and medication dose in Parkinson's patients.

Findings

Safinamide significantly reduced non-motor symptoms in all patient subgroups.

Quality of life improved significantly in female patients and those with disease duration over 10 years.

Baseline levodopa equivalent daily dose influenced changes in non-motor symptoms but not quality of life.

Abstract

Background and objective: Safinamide can improve the non-motor symptoms (NMSs) and quality of life (QoL) in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). In this post hoc analysis of the SAFINONMOTOR study, we analyzed the effect of safinamide on NMSs and QoL according to age, sex, disease duration (DD), and levodopa equivalent daily dose (LEDD). Patients and Methods: The change from baseline to the end of the observational period (6 months) in the Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS) and the 39-item Parkinson’s Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (PDQ-39) was analyzed in subgroups according to sex (male vs. female), age (≤75 vs. >75 years old), DD (≤10 vs. >10 years) and LEDD (≤1000 vs. >1000 mg). Nonparametric tests and general linear model (GLM) repeated measures were applied. Results: A total of 44 patients completed the final visit and were valid for the analysis. A significant reduction in the NMSS score was observed in all groups. Regarding QoL, a significant reduction in the PDQ-39 score was observed in females (p < 0.0001) and in patients with a DD > 10 years (p = 0.011) but not in males or those > 75 years old or receiving an LEDD > 1.000 mg. In the GLM, only LEDD at baseline influenced the degree of change in the NMSS total score (p = 0.026; F = 5.23). None of the variables influenced the change in the PDQ39. Conclusions: Safinamide improved NMSs independently of sex, age, DD, and LEDD. QoL improved independently of DD, and in females and non-elderly and very treated patients.

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