Phase I Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) vs. Best Medical Therapy (BMT) Trial

CSP #468 Phase I - A Comparison of Best Medical Therapy and Deep Brain Stimulation of Subthalamic Nucleus and Globus Pallidus for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease

The goals of this study are to determine if simultaneous bilateral subthalamic nucleus stimulation or simultaneous bilateral globus pallidus stimulation is more effective in reducing symptoms of Parkinson's disease, and if deep brain stimulation or best medical therapy is more effective in improving Parkinson's disease symptoms

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a promising therapy for Parkinson's disease (PD). Whether DBS is superior to comprehensive best medical therapy or whether some patients or symptoms respond better to DBS in one area of the brain or the other is currently not known. The goals of this project are to compare the effectiveness of DBS and comprehensive medical therapy as treatments for PD, and to compare bilateral DBS at 2 areas of the brain--the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and the globus pallidus (Gpi)--to determine the most effective brain site for surgical intervention In this prospective, randomized, multi-center trial, 316 patients will be enrolled at 13 centers over four and a half years. Patients will initially be randomized to immediate surgery (DBS) or to 6 months of "best medical therapy." BMT patients will then proceed into the surgical phase of the trial. The DBS site (STN or GPi) will be assigned on a random basis at the time the patient enters the surgical phase of the trial. Patients will be followed for two years post surgery (24-30 months). Effective 08/05/05, randomization to the BMT arm has been discontinued since the study has sufficient information to compare the outcomes of DBS and BMT patients at 6 months. The findings will be critically important in establishing the optimal surgical treatment of the disabling symptoms of PD.

The DBS site (STN or GPi) will be assigned on a random basis at the time the patient enters the surgical phase of the trial.

Participants will initially be randomized to DBS or to 6 months of "best medical therapy." BMT participants will then proceed into the surgical phase of the trial. Effective 08/05/05, randomization to the BMT arm has been discontinued since the study has sufficient information to compare the outcomes of DBS and BMT patients at 6 months.

The Difference of Time Spent in the 'on' State Without Troublesome Dyskinesia Based on Patient Motor Diaries as Compared to the Baseline.

The Change of Scores on the UPDRS for Blinded Assessed Motor Function 'Off' Medication and 'on' Stimulation

Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS Part III) measured while the patient is off medications and on stimulation at follow-up visits post surgery. UPDRS Part III has 14 items assessing motor skills including facial expression and speech, tremors, rigidity, posture, gait, and bradykinesia. Left and right sides (arms, legs, and hands) are assessed separately for seven of the functions. A summary score ranging from 0 to 108 is generated by adding the 14 specific motor function responses. The motor function (UPDRS part III) assessments are done by turning on the stimulation with and without taking PD medications (on/off) at each in-person visit. The higher score indicates that the condition is worse.

Inclusion Criteria: idiopathic Parkinson's disease, Hoehn and Yahr stage 2 or worse "off" medications, L-dopa responsive but with persistent disabling symptoms (i.e., refractory to "best medical treatment" with motor fluctuations, dyskinesias), on stable medical therapy for at least one month prior to enrollment, age > 21, available and willing to be followed-up according to study protocol, and no intracranial abnormalities that would contraindicate surgery (based on pre-operative magnetic resonance imaging of the brain). Exclusion Criteria: "Parkinson's plus" syndromes, medical contraindications to surgery or stimulation, active alcohol or drug abuse, score on minimental status exam 24 or lower, or other neuropsychological dysfunction (e.g., dementia) that would contraindicate surgery, concurrent participation in another research protocol.

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Weaver FM, Follett K, Stern M, Hur K, Harris C, Marks WJ Jr, Rothlind J, Sagher O, Reda D, Moy CS, Pahwa R, Burchiel K, Hogarth P, Lai EC, Duda JE, Holloway K, Samii A, Horn S, Bronstein J, Stoner G, Heemskerk J, Huang GD; CSP 468 Study Group. Bilateral deep brain stimulation vs best medical therapy for patients with advanced Parkinson disease: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2009 Jan 7;301(1):63-73. doi: 10.1001/jama.2008.929.

Genever RW. Deep brain stimulation for patients with advanced Parkinson disease. JAMA. 2009 May 20;301(19):1985; author reply 1985-6. doi: 10.1001/jama.2009.647. No abstract available.

Follett KA, Weaver FM, Stern M, Hur K, Harris CL, Luo P, Marks WJ Jr, Rothlind J, Sagher O, Moy C, Pahwa R, Burchiel K, Hogarth P, Lai EC, Duda JE, Holloway K, Samii A, Horn S, Bronstein JM, Stoner G, Starr PA, Simpson R, Baltuch G, De Salles A, Huang GD, Reda DJ; CSP 468 Study Group. Pallidal versus subthalamic deep-brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease. N Engl J Med. 2010 Jun 3;362(22):2077-91. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa0907083.

Hou B, Jiang T, Liu R. Deep-brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease. N Engl J Med. 2010 Sep 2;363(10):987-8; author reply 988. doi: 10.1056/NEJMc1007650. No abstract available.

Bronstein JM, Tagliati M, Alterman RL, Lozano AM, Volkmann J, Stefani A, Horak FB, Okun MS, Foote KD, Krack P, Pahwa R, Henderson JM, Hariz MI, Bakay RA, Rezai A, Marks WJ Jr, Moro E, Vitek JL, Weaver FM, Gross RE, DeLong MR. Deep brain stimulation for Parkinson disease: an expert consensus and review of key issues. Arch Neurol. 2011 Feb;68(2):165. doi: 10.1001/archneurol.2010.260. Epub 2010 Oct 11.

Rothlind JC, York MK, Carlson K, Luo P, Marks WJ Jr, Weaver FM, Stern M, Follett K, Reda D; CSP-468 Study Group. Neuropsychological changes following deep brain stimulation surgery for Parkinson's disease: comparisons of treatment at pallidal and subthalamic targets versus best medical therapy. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2015 Jun;86(6):622-9. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2014-308119. Epub 2014 Sep 2.

Weintraub D, Duda JE, Carlson K, Luo P, Sagher O, Stern M, Follett KA, Reda D, Weaver FM; CSP 468 Study Group. Suicide ideation and behaviours after STN and GPi DBS surgery for Parkinson's disease: results from a randomised, controlled trial. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2013 Oct;84(10):1113-8. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2012-304396. Epub 2013 May 10.