3.1. Participants
dehydration
DISEASE, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, DEHYDRATION, KIDNEY DYSFUNCTION, AUTONOMIC DYSFUNCTION
Six subjects met the inclusion criteria (demographics in Of the six patients who were randomized, one (subject 6, disease duration 19 y) withdrew after the first arm because of blood pressure fluctuations the clinical team felt were related to the interaction of the test drug with baseline dehydration, related kidney dysfunction, and autonomic dysfunction [Key narrative phrases from caregiver interviews qualitatively described the patient’s baseline functional status (Subject 8 had the longest disease duration (32 y). All drugs, including levodopa, had caused intolerable side effects, and thus, this patient had not been treated with any Parkinsonian drugs for three years prior to study enrollment. On most days, he was in unarousable “deep sleep”, but able to reflexively suck/swallow if his mouth was stimulated with a straw or food in a more “awake” state. Because of his atypical background and long survival without dopaminergic medication, we highlight his response to treatment in subsequent sections since it may provide unique insight into LsPD pathophysiology.