Studies of neurocirculatory effects of long-term L-threo-3,4-dihydroxyphenylserine administration in a patient with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy.

The case is reported of a 57-year-old woman with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy and concomitant orthostatic hypotension for which L-threo-3,4-dihydroxyphenylserine (L-threo-DOPS) was clinically effective. Testing of autonomic function under telemetric intra-arterial pressure monitoring before and during L-threo-DOPS treatment clearly demonstrated the pathophysiology of the sympathetic nervous system and its modification by L-threo-DOPS.