Azathioprine immunosuppression and disease modification in Parkinson's disease (AZA-PD): a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled phase II trial protocol.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

The immune system is implicated in the aetiology and progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). Inflammation and immune activation occur both in the brain and in the periphery, and a proinflammatory cytokine profile is associated with more rapid clinical progression. Furthermore, the risk of developing PD is related to genetic variation in immune-related genes and reduced by the use of immunosuppressant medication. We are therefore conducting a 'proof of concept' trial of azathioprine, an immunosuppressant medication, to investigate whether suppressing the peripheral immune system has a disease-modifying effect in PD.

Methods and analysis

AZA-PD is a phase II randomised placebo-controlled double-blind trial in early PD. Sixty participants, with clinical markers in

SUBMITTER: Greenland JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7684836 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature