@article{2995979,
    title = "The influence of levodopa and the COMT inhibitor on serum vitamin B12 and folate levels in Parkinson's disease patients",
    author = "Triantafyllou, N.I. and Kararizou, E. and Angelopoulos, E. and Tsounis, S. and Boufidou, F. and Evangelopoulos, M.E. and Nikolaou, C. and Vassilopoulos, D.",
    journal = "European Neurology",
    year = "2007",
    volume = "58",
    number = "2",
    pages = "96-99",
    issn = "0014-3022, 1421-9913",
    doi = "10.1159/000103644",
    keywords = "benserazide plus levodopa;  catechol methyltransferase inhibitor;  cyanocobalamin;  DOPA decarboxylase inhibitor;  entacapone;  folic acid, adult;  aged;  article;  comparative study;  controlled study;  female;  folic acid blood level;  human;  major clinical study;  male;  Parkinson disease;  priority journal;  vitamin blood level, Aged;  Analysis of Variance;  Antiparkinson Agents;  Case-Control Studies;  Catechols;  Female;  Folic Acid;  Humans;  Immunoassay;  Levodopa;  Male;  Middle Aged;  Nitriles;  Parkinson Disease;  Vitamin B 12",
    abstract = "Serum folate and vitamin B12 levels were measured in 67 consecutive Parkinson's disease patients treated either with levodopa + dopa decarboxylase inhibitor (DDC-i) plus catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitors (COMT-i) or only with levodopa + DDC-i. The data were compared to 67 age-matched controls. Our findings show that levodopa-treated Parkinson's disease patients have low folate (p < 0.0007) and vitamin B12 levels (p < 0.0003). They also demonstrate that the addition of a COMT-i to levodopa + DDC-i treatment causes lower serum vitamin B12 (p < 0.03) and folate levels (p < 0.005) than levodopa + DDC-i treatment alone. We suggest supplementary treatment with vitamin B12 and folic acid in these situations. Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG."
}