The purpose of this application is to continue the involvement of the University of Pennsylvania as a site for the NET-PD large, simple trial of creatine (LS-1). It is well-known that there is a great need for treatments that can slow progression in degenerative disorders such as Parkinson's Disease. The goal of the LS-1 trial is to test the hypothesis that daily administration of creatine (10gm/day) is more effective than placebo in slowing clinical decline in PD between baseline and the 5 year follow-up visit in the context of a large, simple trial. The University of Pennsylvania has participated in the NET-PD consortium since its inception. In the upcoming funding cycle, we propose to continue our role as an active, successful recruiting site and a participant in the intellectual activities related t the study including review of data and participation in manuscript preparation.
The accumulated disability that PD causes is a major source of diminished quality of life and increased health care costs. Despite the advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology in PD, there are no current therapies that slow the inexorable clinical decline. LSI will help to determine if creatine can slow clinical decline and provide better information on the course of early PD than is currently available.
