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Alsayouf HA, Alsarhan O, Khreisat W, Daoud A. Atomoxetine Treatment of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in 3-6-Year-Old Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Retrospective Cohort Study. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 11:163. [PMID: 38397275 PMCID: PMC10887200 DOI: 10.3390/children11020163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Atomoxetine is indicated for the management of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years. Few studies have assessed the safety and tolerability of atomoxetine in younger patients. This retrospective cohort study included 133 children aged 3-6 years who were diagnosed with ADHD comorbid with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The primary endpoint was the evaluation of the safety profile of atomoxetine. In total, 50 patients (37.6%) experienced adverse events (AEs), which led to treatment discontinuation in 23 patients (17.3%). The most common AEs were gastrointestinal (24.1%), aggression or hostility (12.8%), and increased hyperactivity (9.0%). In the 23 patients who discontinued treatment, all the AEs resolved after treatment ceased. Among the 110 patients who completed at least 6 months' treatment, atomoxetine titrated to a dose of 1.2-1.8 mg/kg/day appeared to be well tolerated and effective. The Clinical Global Impression-Improvement score improved to 1 ("very much improved") and 2 ("much improved") in 62.4% and 20.3% of children, respectively, at their last visit. Overall, atomoxetine appeared to be well tolerated in younger children with comorbid ADHD and ASD. Nevertheless, close patient monitoring remains essential, and the study limitations necessitate caution in generalizing these findings to broader populations. Long-term prospective studies are required.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Azhar Daoud
- The Specialty Hospital, Amman 11942, Jordan;
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Ryst E, Childress A. An updated safety review of the current drugs for managing ADHD in children. Expert Opin Drug Saf 2023; 22:1025-1040. [PMID: 37843488 DOI: 10.1080/14740338.2023.2271392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a highly prevalent condition that causes persistent problems with attention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity and often results in significant impairment when left untreated. Medications for this disorder continue to evolve and provide new treatment options. Ongoing review of related medication safety and tolerability remains an important task for prescribers. AREAS COVERED This manuscript provides an updated safety review of medications used to treat ADHD in children and adolescents. PubMed and OneSearch online databases were utilized to search for literature relevant to the topic of ADHD medications and safety. Clinical trials of medications used to treat ADHD, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and articles covering specific safety issues (adverse or unfavorable events) such as cardiovascular effects, seizures, impact on growth, depression, suicidal ideation, substance use disorders, psychosis, and tics are described. EXPERT OPINION Available pharmacologic treatments for ADHD have favorable efficacy, safety and tolerability and allow many patients to achieve significant improvement of their symptoms. Despite the availability of multiple stimulant and non-stimulant formulations, some individuals with ADHD may not tolerate available medications or attain satisfactory improvement. To satisfy unmet clinical needs, ADHD pharmaceutical research with stimulant and nonstimulant formulations targeting dopamine, norepinephrine, and novel receptors is ongoing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Ryst
- College of Education and Human Development, University of Nevada, Reno, USA
| | - Ann Childress
- Center for Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Inc, Las Vegas, NV, USA
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Pinto S, Correia-de-Sá T, Sampaio-Maia B, Vasconcelos C, Moreira P, Ferreira-Gomes J. Eating Patterns and Dietary Interventions in ADHD: A Narrative Review. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14204332. [PMID: 36297016 PMCID: PMC9608000 DOI: 10.3390/nu14204332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood, affecting ~7% of children and adolescents. Given its adverse health outcomes and high healthcare and societal costs, other treatment options beyond pharmacotherapy have been explored. Case-control studies have shown that dietary patterns may influence the risk of ADHD, and specific dietary interventions have been proposed as coadjuvant treatments in this disorder. These include nutritional supplements, gut microbiome-targeted interventions with biotics, and elimination diets. The purpose of this review is to examine which dietary patterns are most associated with ADHD and to summarize the existing evidence for the clinical use of dietary interventions. The literature showed that non-healthy dietary patterns were positively associated with ADHD, whereas healthy patterns were negatively associated. As for nutritional supplements, only vitamin D and vitamin D + magnesium appeared to improve ADHD symptoms when baseline levels of vitamin D were insufficient/deficient. Regarding biotics, evidence was only found for Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and for multi-species probiotic supplementation. Elimination diets have scarce evidence and lead to nutritional deficiencies, so caution is advised. Overall, more robust scientific evidence is required for these dietary interventions to be implemented as part of ADHD therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Pinto
- Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Porto, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal
| | - Teresa Correia-de-Sá
- Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- INEB—Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- i3S—Institute for Research & Innovation in Health, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Benedita Sampaio-Maia
- INEB—Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- i3S—Institute for Research & Innovation in Health, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-393 Porto, Portugal
| | - Carla Vasconcelos
- Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Porto, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal
- Nutrition Service, University Hospital Center of São João, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro Moreira
- Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Porto, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal
- EPIUnit, Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +351-225-074-320
| | - Joana Ferreira-Gomes
- Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- i3S—Institute for Research & Innovation in Health, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- IBMC—Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
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Kazda L, Bell K, Thomas R, McGeechan K, Sims R, Barratt A. Overdiagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Scoping Review. JAMA Netw Open 2021; 4:e215335. [PMID: 33843998 PMCID: PMC8042533 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.5335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Reported increases in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses are accompanied by growing debate about the underlying factors. Although overdiagnosis is often suggested, no comprehensive evaluation of evidence for or against overdiagnosis has ever been undertaken and is urgently needed to enable evidence-based, patient-centered diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in contemporary health services. OBJECTIVE To systematically identify, appraise, and synthesize the evidence on overdiagnosis of ADHD in children and adolescents using a published 5-question framework for detecting overdiagnosis in noncancer conditions. EVIDENCE REVIEW This systematic scoping review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) Extension for Scoping Reviews and Joanna Briggs Methodology, including the PRISMA-ScR Checklist. MEDLINE, Embase, PsychINFO, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched for studies published in English between January 1, 1979, and August 21, 2020. Studies of children and adolescents (aged ≤18 years) with ADHD that focused on overdiagnosis plus studies that could be mapped to 1 or more framework question were included. Two researchers independently reviewed all abstracts and full-text articles, and all included studies were assessed for quality. FINDINGS Of the 12 267 potentially relevant studies retrieved, 334 (2.7%) were included. Of the 334 studies, 61 (18.3%) were secondary and 273 (81.7%) were primary research articles. Substantial evidence of a reservoir of ADHD was found in 104 studies, providing a potential for diagnoses to increase (question 1). Evidence that actual ADHD diagnosis had increased was found in 45 studies (question 2). Twenty-five studies showed that these additional cases may be on the milder end of the ADHD spectrum (question 3), and 83 studies showed that pharmacological treatment of ADHD was increasing (question 4). A total of 151 studies reported on outcomes of diagnosis and pharmacological treatment (question 5). However, only 5 studies evaluated the critical issue of benefits and harms among the additional, milder cases. These studies supported a hypothesis of diminishing returns in which the harms may outweigh the benefits for youths with milder symptoms. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This review found evidence of ADHD overdiagnosis and overtreatment in children and adolescents. Evidence gaps remain and future research is needed, in particular research on the long-term benefits and harms of diagnosing and treating ADHD in youths with milder symptoms; therefore, practitioners should be mindful of these knowledge gaps, especially when identifying these individuals and to ensure safe and equitable practice and policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luise Kazda
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Katy Bell
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rae Thomas
- Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kevin McGeechan
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rebecca Sims
- Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Alexandra Barratt
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Chang Z, Quinn PD, O’Reilly L, Sjölander A, Hur K, Gibbons R, Larsson H, D’Onofrio BM. Medication for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Risk for Suicide Attempts. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 88:452-458. [PMID: 31987492 PMCID: PMC7292769 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a risk factor for suicidal behavior, but the effect of ADHD medication on suicidal behavior remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the associations between medication treatment for ADHD and risk of suicide attempts. METHODS We identified a large cohort of patients with ADHD (N = 3,874,728, 47.8% female patients) using data from commercial health care claims from 2005 to 2014 in the United States. We used population-level and within-individual analyses to compare risk of suicide attempts during months when individuals received prescribed stimulant or nonstimulant medication relative to months when they did not receive medication. RESULTS In both population-level and within-individual analyses, ADHD medication was associated with lower odds of suicide attempts (odds ratio [OR], 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66-0.73; and OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.57-0.66, respectively). Similar reductions were found in children to middle-aged adults and in clinically relevant subgroups, including patients with ADHD with preexisting depression or substance use disorder. The reduction was mainly seen for stimulant medication (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.66-0.77); nonstimulant medication was not associated with statistically significant changes in risk of suicide attempts (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.74-1.19). Sensitivity analyses assessing the influence of different exposure definitions, different outcome definitions, subsets of the cohort, and different analytic approaches provided comparable results. CONCLUSIONS Stimulant medication was associated with a reduced risk of suicide attempts in patients with ADHD, and nonstimulant medication is unlikely to increase the risk of suicide attempts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Chang
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Patrick D. Quinn
- Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
| | - Lauren O’Reilly
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
| | - Arvid Sjölander
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kwan Hur
- Center for Health Statistics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Robert Gibbons
- Center for Health Statistics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Henrik Larsson
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden,School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Brian M. D’Onofrio
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
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Liu WJ, Mao HJ, Hu LL, Song MF, Jiang HY, Zhang L. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medication and risk of suicide attempt: A meta-analysis of observational studies. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2020; 29:1364-1372. [PMID: 32875686 DOI: 10.1002/pds.5110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Epidemiologic findings are inconsistent regarding the association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication exposure and suicide attempt in individuals with ADHD. METHODS A systematic literature search of PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library up to February 2020 was performed. A meta-analysis was conducted for outcomes in which a summary risk ratio (RR) was calculated when taking heterogeneity into account. RESULTS Both population-level and within-individual analyzes showed that ADHD medication was associated with lower odds of suicide attempts (RR = 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.58-1.00; P = .049 and RR = 0.69; 95% CI, 0.49-0.97; P = .049, respectively). However, the association only existed for participants who were treated with stimulants (RR = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.53-0.99; P = .042 on population-level analysis and RR = 0.75; 95% CI, 0.66-0.84; P < .001 on within-individual analysis). Furthermore, a lower risk of suicide attempts was not observed in subjects who took ADHD medication for 1 to 90 days (RR = 0.91; 95% CI, 0.74-1.13; P = .416 on within-individual analysis). CONCLUSION The results indicate that non-stimulant treatment is not associated with a higher risk of suicide attempt, but stimulant treatment is associated with a lower risk of suicide attempt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Juan Liu
- Psychosomatic Department, Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hong-Jing Mao
- Psychosomatic Department, Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lin-Lin Hu
- Psychosomatic Department, Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ming-Fen Song
- Psychosomatic Department, Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hai-Yin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Psychosomatic Department, Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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Siffel C, DerSarkissian M, Kponee-Shovein K, Spalding W, Gu YM, Cheng M, Duh MS. Suicidal ideation and attempts in the United States of America among stimulant-treated, non-stimulant-treated, and untreated patients with a diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. J Affect Disord 2020; 266:109-119. [PMID: 32063553 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.01.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Revised: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies of the association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drug therapy and suicidal ideation and attempts (SIA) have conflicting results. METHODS Cohorts of patients with ADHD aged 6 years or older with at least one pharmacy claim for a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant or a non-stimulant, or with no claims for ADHD pharmacotherapy, were identified in the US IBM® MarketScan® Research Database from January 2008 to March 2018. Incidence density rates (IDRs) of SIA (i.e., claims for suicide and self-inflicted poisoning, suicide and self-inflicted injuries, or suicidal ideation) were calculated. Cohorts were compared (CNS stimulants vs non-stimulants; CNS stimulants vs no pharmacotherapy) using hazard ratios (HRs) estimated from Cox proportional hazards models. Inverse-probability-of-treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to control for confounding. RESULTS The study included 797,189 patients (CNS stimulants, 622,536; non-stimulants, 54,615; no pharmacotherapy, 120,038). IDRs of SIA (per 1000 patient-years) were: CNS stimulants, 5.8; non-stimulants, 10.5; and no pharmacotherapy, 10.0. The overall SIA risk was significantly lower with CNS stimulants than with non-stimulants (IPTW-adjusted HR = 0.70, 95% confidence interval = 0.61-0.81, p < 0.001) and no pharmacotherapy (0.62, 0.57-0.67, p < 0.001). LIMITATIONS SIA assessment was based on diagnostic codes; suicidal ideation may not have been reported; completed suicides were generally not captured; and treatment was not verified. CONCLUSIONS In this population-based study of patients with ADHD, SIA risk was significantly lower in those receiving CNS stimulants relative to those receiving non-stimulants or no pharmacotherapy, suggesting that CNS stimulants may attenuate SIA risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Csaba Siffel
- Global Outcomes Research and Epidemiology, Shire, now a part of Takeda, Lexington, MA, USA; College of Allied Health Sciences, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA.
| | | | | | - William Spalding
- Global Outcomes Research and Epidemiology, Shire, now a part of Takeda, Lexington, MA, USA
| | | | - Mu Cheng
- Analysis Group, Inc., Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mei S Duh
- Analysis Group, Inc., Boston, MA, USA
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Clavenna A, Bonati M. Pediatric pharmacoepidemiology - safety and effectiveness of medicines for ADHD. Expert Opin Drug Saf 2017; 16:1335-1345. [DOI: 10.1080/14740338.2017.1389894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Clavenna
- Laboratory for Mother and Child Health, Department of Public Health, IRCCS – Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche “Mario Negri”, Milan, Italy
| | - Maurizio Bonati
- Laboratory for Mother and Child Health, Department of Public Health, IRCCS – Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche “Mario Negri”, Milan, Italy
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