Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42410807›Full record

SynthesisMedicine2026

Continuous subcutaneous levodopa and foslevodopa infusion therapy for motor symptoms of Parkinson disease: A systematic review of observational studies.

Aasim Ali, Waqar Ahmed Cheema, Muhammad Shamoon, Hammad Azam, Dansih Yousuf, Anousha Tanveer, Wajeeha Asif, Fiza Nisar, Labeeba Abdul Ghafoor, Muhammad Talha and 5 more

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Aasim AliNeurology Department, Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Waqar Ahmed CheemaInternal Medicine Department, Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Muhammad ShamoonNeurology Department, Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Hammad AzamInternal Medicine Department, Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Dansih YousufNeurology Department, Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Anousha TanveerInternal Medicine Department, Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Wajeeha AsifNeurology Department, Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Fiza NisarNeurology Department, Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Labeeba Abdul GhafoorNeurology Department, Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Muhammad TalhaInternal Medicine Department, Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Muhammad Abdullah AliInternal Medicine Department, Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Usama SaleemNeurology Department, Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Muhammad Asad ShabbirInternal Medicine Department, Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Armaghana AbdullahNeurology Department, Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Mukesh SharmaNeurology Department, Dhankuta Multiple Campus - Tribhuvan University, Dhankuta, Nepal.ORCID 0009-0000-7424-6327

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundParkinson disease affects approximately 6.1 million people worldwide. Although levodopa remains the most effective symptomatic therapy, long-term oral treatment commonly leads to motor fluctuations and dyskinesias that impair quality of life. Continuous subcutaneous levodopa infusion therapies have emerged as less-invasive strategies to provide continuous dopaminergic stimulation and reduce motor complications.

methodsThis systematic review evaluated the efficacy and safety of continuous subcutaneous levodopa infusion therapies, including ND0612 and foslevodopa/foscarbidopa (ABBV-951), in advanced Parkinson disease (APD). Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched from inception to April 2026. Observational studies assessing continuous subcutaneous levodopa infusion in adults with APD and motor fluctuations were included. Ten studies comprising 867 patients met the inclusion criteria.

resultsAcross studies with follow-up up to 36 months, continuous subcutaneous infusion reduced daily OFF time by approximately 2.0 to 3.5 hours and increased ON time without troublesome dyskinesia. Quality of life scores improved by 5.6 to 10.8 points on Parkinson Disease Questionnaire measures. Infusion-site reactions (ISRs) were the most common adverse events, occurring in 42% to 92% of patients, though most were mild to moderate. Severe ISRs leading to discontinuation occurred in 5% to 12% of patients. ABBV-951 demonstrated numerically lower ISR rates than ND0612 in real-world settings. Systemic adverse events were generally comparable to oral levodopa therapy.

conclusionObservational evidence supports continuous subcutaneous levodopa infusion therapies as effective options for reducing motor fluctuations in APD, with sustained benefits reported up to 36 months. ISRs remain the principal tolerability concern, but severe discontinuation-related events are uncommon. Further comparative and long-term studies are needed to better define safety, efficacy, and real-world applicability across diverse populations.

Indexed as

Antiparkinson AgentsLevodopaParkinson DiseaseCarbidopaHumansInfusions, SubcutaneousObservational Studies as TopicQuality of LifeAntiparkinson AgentsCarbidopaLevodopaABBV-951continuous subcutaneous infusionfoslevodopa/foscarbidopalevodopamotor fluctuationsND0612observational studiesParkinson diseasereal-world evidence

Identifiers

PMID42410807
PMCPMC13337075

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.