• Richard W Walker, Anna R Howells, and William K Gray.
• Department of Medicine, North Tyneside General Hospital, Rake Lane, North Shields, Tyne and Wear NE29 8NH, UK. richard.walker@nhct.nhs.uk
• Parkinsonism Relat. Disord. 2011 Jan 1; 17 (1): 27-9.

Aims And ObjectivesWe aimed to investigate the effect of active dose and dose per kilogram (kg) of body weight of levodopa on the occurrence of dyskinesia within a prevalent population of people with PD.MethodsOf 106 prevalent cases, 75 (70.8%; 38 males, 37 females) agreed to assessment by a member of the research team. Demographic information, weight and height were recorded. Patients were assessed using a range of rating scales including the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. Patients were asked specifically: 'Do you have, or have you ever had, dyskinesia?'.ResultsNine patients (12.0%) reported dyskinesia. Patient reported dyskinesia was significantly associated with greater years since diagnosis (r=0.309, p=0.007), higher levodopa equivalent dose (r=0.406, p<0.001) and levodopa equivalent dose per kg body weight (r=0.375, p<0.001). Using logistic regression, active levodopa dose, unadjusted for body weight, was an independent predictor of dyskinesia.ConclusionsAdjusting levodopa dose for body weight did not increase its degree of correlation with patient reported dyskinesia.© 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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