Long-Term Efficacy of Methylphenidate Immediate-Release for the Treatment of Childhood ADHD.

Maia, Carlos Renato Moreira; Cortese, Samuele; Caye, Arthur; Deakin, Thomas Kuhn; Polanczyk, Guilherme Vanoni; Polanczyk, Carísi Anne; Rohde, Luis Augusto Paim

<bold>Objective: </bold>To evaluate the long-term effects of methylphenidate imediate-release (MPH-IR), and to confirm the efficacy established in previous meta-analyses of short-term studies.<bold>Method: </bold>Published and unpublished studies in which participants were treated with MPH-IR for 12 weeks or more were searched. Pooled effect sizes from these studies were computed with the DerSimonian and Laird random-effect model. Meta-regression analysis was conducted to estimate covariates associated with treatment effects.<bold>Results: </bold>Seven studies were included. Pooled parents ratings for inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity resulted in standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.96 (95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.60, 1.32]) and SMD = 1.12 (95% CI = [0.85, 1.39]), respectively; pooled teachers ratings showed SMD = 0.98 (95% CI = [0.09, 1.86]) for inattention and SMD = 1.25 (95% CI = [0.7, 1.81]) for hyperactivity/impulsivity. No evidence of association of any covariates with treatment effect was detected in the meta-regression.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>MPH-IR is efficacious for childhood ADHD for periods longer than 12 weeks.

Journal of Attention Disorders, 2017, Vol 21, Issue 1, p3

1087-0547

Academic Journal

10.1177/1087054714559643