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. 2014 Jul 10;21(2):195–210. doi: 10.1089/ars.2013.5593

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Copyright 2014, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

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FIG. 6. — Laboratory parameters. Changes after 6 months of treatment with DFP. Means±SEM are given. (A) CSF assays of dopamine (DA) metabolites in DA-treated patients (n=20: 10 ES patients and 10 DS patients). The levels of the DA metabolites HVA and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) are given relative to those of DA and are baseline adjusted. The HVA/DA ratio declined after 6 months of DFP (covariance analysis: F_(1,14)=8.8; p=0.014). Inset: Ferritin levels (relative to the baseline value; * p=0.0001; see also Table 1) (B) Serum assays of the L-dopa metabolite 3-O-methyldopa in L-dopa-treated patients (n=17: 9 ES patients and 8 DS patients). Levels of 3-O-methyldopa are given relative to L-dopa; they declined significantly (*) after 6 months of treatment (baseline-adjusted covariance analysis: F_(1,14)=5.5; p=0.03) in the ES group relative to the DS group but stabilized after 12 months (p=0.7). (C) Serum assays of DA auto-oxidation in DA- and L-dopa-treated patients (n=17: nine ES patients and eight DS patients). The DA auto-oxidation product 5-cysteinyldopamine (5-cyst-Dopa) was not detected in the CSF or plasma of early-stage PD patients treated with DA agonists. In PD patients treated with L-dopa, the 5-cyst-Dopa/DA ratio decreased significantly following 6 months of DFP treatment in the ES group (n=9) relative to the DS group (n=8) (baseline-adjusted covariance analysis: F_(1,10)=5.7; p=0.029) and in the DS group after 6 months of treatment (i.e., between months 6 and 12). (D) Ex vivo viability of lymphocytes challenged with hydrogen peroxide. Lymphocytes isolated at month 6 from 10 ES patients and 10 DS patients were challenged with hydrogen peroxide and assessed for viability. The proportion of viable cells is quoted as a percentage of the number of control (nonchallenged) cells. Challenged lymphocytes from ES patients (after 6 months of DFP treatment) had a greater proportion of viable cells (*p=0.035) than those from DS patients (no DFP during the first 6 months). (E) Hematological parameters. Hematocrit (hct) and haemoglobin (Hb) level. According to baseline-adjusted covariance analysis, there were no significant changes over the course of treatment. (F) Changes (relative to baseline values) in serum ferritin. *Indicates a significant difference between groups at 6 months (p=0.018; see Table 1), but there were no significant differences at 12 and 18 months.