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Ruppert K, Geffert C, Clement HW, Bachmann C, Haberhausen M, Schulz E, Fleischhaker C, Biscaldi-Schäfer M. Therapeutic drug monitoring of atomoxetine in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder: a naturalistic study. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2022; 129:945-959. [PMID: 35391568 PMCID: PMC9217867 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-022-02483-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor atomoxetine is potentially among the first-line pharmacotherapy options for ADHD. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) with the quantification and interpretation of atomoxetine serum concentrations is used to determine an individual dose followed by an optimal effectiveness and minimal side effects. The aim of this retrospective pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic analysis was to derive age-appropriate recommendations for the implementation of TDM to improve the efficacy and tolerability of atomoxetine in children and adolescents. Using the analytical method of high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection, 94 serum concentrations of 74 patients between 6 and 21 years of age were determined. Therapeutic effectiveness and side effects were evaluated according to the categories “low”, “moderate”, and “significant”. As part of TDM, a time interval with maximum concentrations of 1–3 h after the administration of atomoxetine was determined for blood sampling. In this time interval, a significant correlation between the weight-normalized dose and the serum concentrations was found. The efficacy as well as the tolerability proved to be mainly moderate or significant. A preliminary therapeutic reference range was between 100 and 400 ng/ml. Naturalistic studies have limitations. Therefore, and due to a limited study population, the results have to be regarded as preliminary observations that must be confirmed in further studies. The preliminary therapeutic reference range for children and adolescents proved to be narrower than the reference range for adult patients. However, due to good efficacy and tolerability an exact reference range remained difficult to determine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Ruppert
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | | | - Hans-Willi Clement
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Christian Bachmann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Marburg, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Michael Haberhausen
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital Marburg, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Eberhard Schulz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Christian Fleischhaker
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
| | - Monica Biscaldi-Schäfer
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
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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: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [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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Karakaya SEK, Yektaş Ç, Tufan AE. Activation Syndrome in a Patient With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Treated With Atomoxetine: A Case Report. Clin Neuropharmacol 2021; 44:101-103. [PMID: 33661138 DOI: 10.1097/wnf.0000000000000447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT "Activation syndrome" represents a cluster of symptoms of excessive emotional arousal or behavioral activation, which emerges after the first few weeks of antidepressant treatment or a dose increase and resolves with dose reduction or cessation of treatment. It was reported after treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor group of agents, but no case of activation syndrome has been reported with the norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor group. Atomoxetine is a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor and nonstimulant and is used to manage symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Atomoxetine-related symptoms of mania and hypomania were reported in literature previously. Here, we report a case of activation syndrome arising after atomoxetine (ATX) dose titration in a prepubertal male child with ADHD. Differentiation of activation symptoms from mania/hypomania symptoms after treatment with ATX may be important for the clinicians to manage the adverse effects and understand the risk factors behind activation syndrome with use of ATX in children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Çiğdem Yektaş
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Uskudar University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul
| | - Ali Evren Tufan
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Abant Izzet Baysal University Faculty of Medicine, Bolu, Turkey
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Benefits of Methylphenidate for Long-Term Attention Problems After Traumatic Brain Injury in Childhood: A Randomized, Double-Masked, Placebo-Controlled, Dose-Titration, Crossover Trial. J Head Trauma Rehabil 2020; 34:E1-E12. [PMID: 30169436 PMCID: PMC6395577 DOI: 10.1097/htr.0000000000000432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To characterize the benefits and optimal dose of long-acting methylphenidate for management of long-term attention problems after childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI). DESIGN Phase 2, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled, dose-titration, crossover clinical trial. SETTING Outpatient, clinical research. PARTICIPANTS Twenty-six children aged 6 to 17 years who were at least 6 months post-TBI and met criteria for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at the time of enrollment. OUTCOME MEASURES Vanderbilt Rating Scale of attention problems, Pittsburgh Side Effects Rating Scale, and vital signs. RESULTS Among the 26 participants randomized, 20 completed the trial. The mean ages at injury and enrollment were 6.3 and 11.5 years, respectively. Eight participants had a severe TBI. On an optimal dose of medication, greater reductions were found on the Vanderbilt Parent Rating Scale for the medicated condition than for placebo (P = .022, effect size = 0.59). The mean optimal dose of methylphenidate was 40.5 mg (1.00 mg/kg/day). Preinjury ADHD diagnosis status was not associated with a differential medication response. Methylphenidate was associated with weight loss (∼1 kg), increased systolic blood pressure (∼3- to 6-point increase), and mild reported changes in appetite. CONCLUSION Findings support use of long-acting methylphenidate for management of long-term attention problems after pediatric TBI. Larger trials are warranted of stimulant medications, including comparative effectiveness and combination medication and nonmedication interventions.
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Biederman J, Lindsten A, Sluth LB, Petersen ML, Ettrup A, Eriksen HLF, Fava M. Vortioxetine for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, proof-of-concept study. J Psychopharmacol 2019; 33:511-521. [PMID: 30843450 DOI: 10.1177/0269881119832538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stimulants remain the mainstay of treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) but are often associated with insufficient response or poor tolerability, leading to many patients not wishing to be treated with controlled substances. AIMS This randomized, placebo-controlled, proof-of-concept study (NCT02327013) evaluated the efficacy of a multimodal antidepressant, vortioxetine, in the treatment of ADHD, using a two-stage sequential parallel comparison design. METHODS Patients aged 18-55 years with a diagnosis of ADHD (DSM-5) and a total score ⩾24 on the Adult ADHD Investigator Symptom Rating Scale (AISRS) were randomized in study stage I with a 1:1:3 ratio to six weeks of treatment with vortioxetine 10 or 20 mg/day, or placebo ( n = 227). In study stage II, placebo non-responders (AISRS total score reduction <30% from stage I baseline) were re-randomized with a 1:1:1 ratio to six weeks of vortioxetine 10 or 20 mg/day, or placebo ( n = 59). RESULTS Across the two study stages combined, ADHD symptoms improved by approximately eight AISRS points in all treatment groups, showing no difference from placebo for either dose of vortioxetine, the study thus failing to meet its primary endpoint. However, both doses of vortioxetine separated from placebo in improving overall patient functioning, as measured by the Sheehan Disability Scale. CONCLUSION Studies are warranted to further investigate this suggested benefit of a multimodal antidepressant for patient functioning in ADHD while addressing issues of non-adherence and placebo response. The study confirmed vortioxetine 10 mg and 20 mg as generally well-tolerated.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Maurizio Fava
- 1 Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- 3 Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Kobayashi H, Fujii K, Kobayashi M, Saito N, Okunushi K, Ebata R, Shiohama T, Sawada D, Shimojo N. Facial nerve palsy associated with atomoxetine-induced hypertension. Brain Dev 2019; 41:310-312. [PMID: 30314873 DOI: 10.1016/j.braindev.2018.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Peripheral facial nerve palsy is characterized by unilateral facial paresis due to ipsilateral facial nerve dysfunction. Most cases are idiopathic; however, some have specific etiologies, such as herpesvirus infection, immunological disorders, and hypertension. Atomoxetine is a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor that is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This drug is known to cause adverse effects, such as nausea, appetite loss, headache, insomnia, and hypertension. CASE DESCRIPTION We herein describe a case of sudden-onset right peripheral facial palsy in a 9-year-old Japanese boy. The patient's systolic blood pressure was as high as 200 mmHg, and he was therefore admitted to our hospital for investigation. Extensive surveillance including blood examination; endocrinological testing; imaging studies such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and renography; and renal biopsy did not reveal any abnormalities. The patient had ADHD and was under treatment with atomoxetine. We discontinued treatment with atomoxetine; the patient showed gradual improvement. His hypertension and facial palsy resolved. We therefore diagnosed the patient with peripheral facial palsy associated with atomoxetine-induced hypertension. CONCLUSION Although peripheral facial nerve palsy is usually benign and self-limiting, blood pressure should be monitored in children under treatment with atomoxetine and the possibility of drug-induced hypertension should be considered in order to prevent palsy associated with hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hironobu Kobayashi
- Department of Pediatrics, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan.
| | - Katsunori Fujii
- Department of Pediatrics, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Masayo Kobayashi
- Department of Pediatrics, National Chiba-Higashi Hospital, Chiba, Japan
| | - Naoki Saito
- Department of Pediatrics, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kentaro Okunushi
- Department of Pediatrics, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Ryota Ebata
- Department of Pediatrics, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Tadashi Shiohama
- Department of Pediatrics, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Daisuke Sawada
- Department of Pediatrics, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Naoki Shimojo
- Department of Pediatrics, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
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