Abstract Details

Title Early-stage Parkinson’s Disease Experiences with a Week-long Dopaminergic Medication Washout

Topic Movement Disorders

Presentation(s) P4 - Poster Session 4 (5:00 PM-6:00 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 5-028

Objective To describe early-stage Parkinson’s disease (PD) experiences when completing a one-week washout of dopaminergic medications.

Background Dopaminergic medications are the mainstay for treating PD, but their symptomatic efficacy inherently masks measuring the underlying progression of the disease. While evaluating an extended treatment-withdrawn state can provide valuable insights into PD, discontinuing medications can be challenging for study participants. Gaining a deeper understanding of what is experienced during an extended medication washout is essential for informing future clinical trial designs.

Design/Methods Eleven early-stage PD participants completed a one-week dopaminergic medication washout study. After the washout, participants completed a semi-structured interview to capture their experiences with the study procedures. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. A hierarchical coding system was developed and refined using the interview guide and preliminary review of the transcripts.

Results Early-stage PD participants (9/11 male) were aged 63.8±6.7 years (mean±SD) with a medication duration of 1.6±0.7 years. The iterative process of developing the coding system allowed preliminary themes to be identified. Nearly half of participants (5/11) reported being surprised at how well they managed without their medications, describing the washout as “less challenging” and “less stressful” than anticipated. Four noted that it took 5-6 days for symptoms to noticeably worsen. One described the experience as “a little foreshadowing,” expressing that being off medications provided a glimpse into a possible future where the progression of the disease may render such symptom control difficult.

Conclusions

Many early-stage PD participants found the one-week washout experience less stressful or challenging than expected. By contrast, one participant reflected on a study-induced awareness of what their disease progression might look like. These findings highlight the significance of understanding participant perspectives when considering research procedures. By understanding and addressing challenges participants encounter, investigators can enhance the conduct of future trials in people with early-stage Parkinson’s disease.

Authors/Disclosures
Kian Pazira, BA PRESENTER	Mr. Pazira has nothing to disclose.
Liliana J. Venditti	Ms. Venditti has nothing to disclose.
Kemberlee Bonnet, MA	Ms. Bonnet has nothing to disclose.
David G. Schlundt, PhD	Dr. Schlundt has received personal compensation in the range of $0-$499 for serving as a Consultant for Advarra. The institution of Dr. Schlundt has received research support from NCI. The institution of Dr. Schlundt has received research support from NCI. The institution of Dr. Schlundt has received research support from NIH.
P. D. Charles, MD, FAAN (Vanderbilt University Medical Center)	Dr. Charles has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Revance. Dr. Charles has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Iota. Dr. Charles has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Kyowa Kirin. Dr. Charles has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Ceraxis. Dr. Charles has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Aspen Neuroscience. Dr. Charles has stock in Arena Therapeutics. The institution of Dr. Charles has received research support from Pharma 2 B. The institution of Dr. Charles has received research support from Intec. The institution of Dr. Charles has received research support from Merz. The institution of Dr. Charles has received research support from Novartis. The institution of Dr. Charles has received research support from Aeon. The institution of Dr. Charles has received research support from Impax. The institution of Dr. Charles has received research support from AskBio. The institution of Dr. Charles has received research support from BlueRock. The institution of Dr. Charles has received research support from AbbVie. The institution of Dr. Charles has received research support from Ipsen.
Mallory Hacker, PhD (Vanderbilt University)	Dr. Hacker has nothing to disclose.

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