Appropriate Use of Dopamine Agonists and Levodopa in Restless Legs Syndrome in an Ambulatory Care Setting

Ogochukwu Chidozie Molokwu, PharmD

The Annals of Pharmacotherapy. 2008;42(5):627-632.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was conducted at Community Medical Centers, Fresno, California. Patients who received dopamine agonists or levodopa from July 1, 2006, to July 31, 2007, were identified using the hospital's outpatient pharmacy database. Patients were included in the study if they were 18 years of age or older and had a documented diagnosis of RLS. Patients were excluded if a dopamine agonist or levodopa was prescribed for indications other than RLS, including Parkinson's disease. Community Medical Centers' institutional review board approved this study. Patient data, including doses of dopamine agonists and levodopa; comorbidities; demographics; laboratory values; use of alcohol, caffeine, or tobacco; and prescribing physician's specialty were collected for analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze all data collected.

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Patient Characteristics ^a
Age, y (mean ± SD)	47.7 ± 10.72
Sex, n (%)
male	8 (30)
female	19 (70)
Race, n (%)
Hispanic	15 (55)
white	11 (41)
black	1 (4)
Dopaminergic agents, n (%)
levodopa	22 (81)
ropinirole	5 (19)
Dose, mg (mean ± SD)
levodopa	104.6 ± 34.2
ropinirole	0.9 ± 0.63
Comorbidities, n (%)
iron deficiency anemia	2 (7)
peripheral neuropathy	4 (15)
ESRD	1 (4)
Concurrent drugs, n (%)
antidepressants	14 (52)
sedating antihistamines	6 (22)
antidopaminergics	1 (4)
Social habits, n (%)
alcohol	2 (7)
tobacco	8 (30)
caffeine	0 (0)
Laboratory values, n (%)
no ferritin	18 (67)
ferritin <50 ng/mL	2 (7)
ferritin >50 ng/mL	7 (26)
no Tsat	20 (74)
Tsat <20%	5 (19)
Tsat >20%	2 (7)
Prescribing physician specialty, n (%)
primary care	26 (96)
neurology	1 (4)

ESRD = end-stage renal disease; Tsat = transferrin-iron saturation.
^aN = 27.

Patient Characteristics ^a
Age, y (mean ± SD)	47.7 ± 10.72
Sex, n (%)
male	8 (30)
female	19 (70)
Race, n (%)
Hispanic	15 (55)
white	11 (41)
black	1 (4)
Dopaminergic agents, n (%)
levodopa	22 (81)
ropinirole	5 (19)
Dose, mg (mean ± SD)
levodopa	104.6 ± 34.2
ropinirole	0.9 ± 0.63
Comorbidities, n (%)
iron deficiency anemia	2 (7)
peripheral neuropathy	4 (15)
ESRD	1 (4)
Concurrent drugs, n (%)
antidepressants	14 (52)
sedating antihistamines	6 (22)
antidopaminergics	1 (4)
Social habits, n (%)
alcohol	2 (7)
tobacco	8 (30)
caffeine	0 (0)
Laboratory values, n (%)
no ferritin	18 (67)
ferritin <50 ng/mL	2 (7)
ferritin >50 ng/mL	7 (26)
no Tsat	20 (74)
Tsat <20%	5 (19)
Tsat >20%	2 (7)
Prescribing physician specialty, n (%)
primary care	26 (96)
neurology	1 (4)

ESRD = end-stage renal disease; Tsat = transferrin-iron saturation.
^aN = 27.

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