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Clinical Trial
. 1995 May;52(5):456-60.
doi: 10.1001/archneur.1995.00540290042016.

Levorotatory form of 5-hydroxytryptophan in Friedreich's ataxia. Results of a double-blind drug-placebo cooperative study

P Trouillas  1 , G Serratrice, D Laplane, A Rascol, P Augustin, G Barroche, M Clanet, C F Degos, C Desnuelle, R Dumas, et al.
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Levorotatory form of 5-hydroxytryptophan in Friedreich's ataxia. Results of a double-blind drug-placebo cooperative study

P Trouillas et al. Arch Neurol. 1995 May.

Abstract

Objective: To study the effect of the levorotatory form of 5-hydroxytryptophan on the cerebellar symptoms of Friedreich's ataxia.

Design: Cooperative double-blind study of the levorotatory form of 5-hydroxytryptophan vs placebo.

Setting: Twelve centers in research hospitals.

Patients: Twenty-six patients were included; 19 completed the study (mean +/- SD age of patients, 25.9 +/- 8.1 years). Of these 19 patients, eight were treated with placebo and 11 were treated with the drug.

Main outcome measures: A semiquantitative scale for kinetic and static ("postural") cerebellar functions and quantitative measurements of time in standard tests that evaluated stance, speech, writing, and drawing.

Results: In the active treatment group, a significant decrease of the kinetic score was observed (P = .03), indicating an improvement in coordination.

Conclusions: These results demonstrated that the levorotatory form of 5-hydroxytryptophan is able to modify significantly the cerebellar symptoms in patients with Friedreich's ataxia. However, the effect is only partial and not clinically major.

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