ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Domperidone is used to treat gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease. Because of an increased risk of cardiac adverse events, the European Medicines Agency has issued recommendations restricting its use mainly in terms of age, dose, and treatment duration. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate current prescription practices of domperidone in Parkinson's disease among French neurologists. METHODS: A cross-sectional study based on a questionnaire was conducted among French neurologists from Parkinson's disease expert centers from the French NS-Park/FCRIN network, general hospitals, and private practice. RESULTS: Among the 253 neurologists who completed the questionnaire, 86 (34%) were physicians from expert centers and 167 (66%) were from other healthcare settings; 209 (83%) were aware of recommendations restricting domperidone use. The majority of neurologists (92%) declared prescribing domperidone regardless of the age of the patients. Sixty-one percent of neurologists prescribed domperidone beyond 7 days in newly diagnosed patients, 33% in patients with orthostatic hypotension, and 79% in patients receiving continuous apomorphine treatment. They did not follow the recommendation on posology in newly diagnosed patients (7% of neurologists), patients with orthostatic hypotension (10%), and patients receiving continuous apomorphine therapy (25%). Finally, only 58% of neurologists declared taking specific precautions before prescribing domperidone. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show most French neurologists who responded to our questionnaire do not fully follow the restrictions on domperidone use, particularly in terms of treatment duration, and in patients receiving continuous apomorphine treatment. This may reflect the unmet need to prevent nausea in patients with Parkinson's disease treated with dopaminergic drugs, particularly continuous apomorphine therapy.
