Use of the Cyclops® by Parkinson’s patients

Very limited treatment options are available with a rapid onset to counter off periods in Parkinson’s disease patients. Therefore, the development of rapid onset levodopa formulations is warranted, for which an inhalable formulation of levodopa is being investigated. It is important to know whether Parkinson’s patients used the inhalable formulation correctly in their home situation a couple weeks after instruction. Since the inhalable formulation will only be used during off periods, the frequency of which can vary from a few times a week to a few times a day (opposed to inhalation medication for pulmonary disorders that are used daily).

Very limited treatment options are available with a rapid onset to counter off periods in Parkinson’s disease patients. Therefore, the development of rapid onset levodopa formulations is warranted, for which an inhalable formulation of levodopa is being investigated. It is important to know whether Parkinson’s patients used the inhalable formulation correctly in their home situation a couple weeks after instruction. Since the inhalable formulation will only be used during off periods, the frequency of which can vary from a few times a week to a few times a day (opposed to inhalation medication for pulmonary disorders that are used daily).

At the first appointment (T=0) the patient receives an inhalation instruction with a dummy Cyclops® inhaler. The instructions will be given verbally and partly be demonstrated by the instructor, partly be visualised by photographs on the patient instruction card and recordings of generated flow curves on a computer screen.
At the second appointment (T=1), two weeks (± 2 days) after the first appointment and at the third appointment (T =2), four weeks (± 4 days) after the second appointment, patients will be will be visited by the investigator and will be asked to demonstrate their inhalation technique with a dummy Cyclops® equipped with a pressure drop meter.