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Treatment Options for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Treatment Options for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Prepared for: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) www.ahrq.gov. Outline of Material. Introduction to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and treatment options Systematic review methods

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Treatment Options for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

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  1. Treatment Options for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Prepared for: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) www.ahrq.gov

  2. Outline of Material • Introduction to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and treatment options • Systematic review methods • The clinical questions addressed by the CER • Results of studies and evidence-based conclusions on the effectiveness of ADHD treatments for preschoolers and individuals 6 years of age and older • Unrated findings on adverse effects of ADHD treatments • Unrated conclusions on variability in the prevalence, clinical identification, and treatment of ADHD associated with potential moderating factors • Gaps in knowledge and future research needs • What to discuss with patients and their caregivers Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  3. Background: Characteristics of ADHD (1 of 3) • ADHD affects children of all ages. • Approximately 5% of children worldwide show impaired levels of inattention and hyperactivity. • There are three subtypes of ADHD: • Predominantly inattentive • Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive • Combined inattentive and hyperactive • Boys are classified with ADHD about twice as frequently as girls. • Young children are classified with ADHD about twice as frequently as adolescents. Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  4. Background: Characteristics of ADHD (2 of 3) • Clinically significant ADHD is often associated with concurrent defiant and disruptive behaviors, temper tantrums, anxiety, low self-esteem, and learning disabilities. • ADHD is most commonly identified and treated in elementary school (ages 7 to 9) but can begin before children enter school. • There is an increasing interest in identifying children who show signs of ADHD at a very young age so they can be treated as early as possible to diminish social and academic repercussions. Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  5. Background: Characteristics of ADHD (3 of 3) • Overall, levels of symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity decrease with age. • However, many children with ADHD continue to show impairment relative to same-age peers throughout adolescence and into adulthood. Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  6. Background: ADHD Interventions • Interventions for ADHD include a range of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic options. • Psychostimulants and nonstimulant medications are often prescribed. • Children with ADHD and their families may also receive nonspecific psychosocial support, counseling, and advice through standardized programs for parents and children. • Children with ADHD may receive academic tutoring and coaching, both within and outside of school settings. • Complementary and alternative medicine options, including dietary supplements, are also available, but are not covered in this review. Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  7. Background: ADHD Medications (1 of 2) • These medications were not included in this report • CD = continuous dose; ER = extended release; LA = long acting; SR = sustained release; XR = extended release Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  8. Background: ADHD Medications (2 of 2) *These medications were not included in this report ER = extended release Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  9. Background: Behavior Training Interventions • Behavior training programs teach parents effective strategies to strengthen their bond with their child and improve their child’s behavior. • There are many standardized programs for behavior training interventions for parents. Four widely disseminated examples include: • Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) • The Incredible Years Parenting Program (IYPP) • Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) • The New Forest Parenting Program (NFPP) Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  10. AHRQ CER Development • Topics are nominated through a public process, which includes submissions from health care professionals, professional organizations, the private sector, policymakers, members of the public, and others. • A systematic review of all relevant clinical studies is conducted by independent researchers, funded by AHRQ, to synthesize the evidence in a report summarizing what is known and not known about the selected clinical issue. The research questions and the results of the report are subject to expert input, peer review, and public comment. • The results of these reviews are summarized into clinician research summaries and consumer research summaries for use in decisionmaking and in discussions with patients. The summaries and the full report, with references for included and excluded studies are available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov. Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  11. Clinical Questions Addressed by the CER • Key Question (KQ) 1: Among children younger than 6 years of age with ADHD or disruptive behavior disorder (DBD), what are the effectiveness and adverse event outcomes following treatment? • KQ 2: Among people 6 years of age or older with ADHD, what are the effectiveness and adverse event outcomes following 12 months or more of any combination of followup or treatment, including, but not limited to, 12 months or more of continuous treatment? • KQ 3: How do a) underlying prevalence of ADHD and b) rates of diagnosis (clinical identification) and treatment for ADHD vary by geography, time period, provider type, and socioeconomic characteristics? Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  12. Rating the Strength of Evidence From the CER • The strength of evidence was classified into four broad categories: Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  13. Effectiveness of ADHD or DBD Interventions in Children Under 6 Years of Age (1 of 2) • Parental behavior training is an efficacious treatment option for preschoolers with disruptive behavior disorders or ADHD symptoms. • Benefits for children with DBD are maintained at least 6 months and up to 2 years in some studies. • Parents who attend more parental behavior training sessions see more improvement in their child’s behavior. • Strength of evidence: High • Methylphenidate (MPH) is efficacious and generally safe for treating ADHD symptoms, but there has been limited long-term followup in preschoolers beyond 12 months. • Strength of evidence: Low Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  14. Effectiveness of ADHD or DBD Interventions in Children Under 6 Years of Age (2 of 2) • Evidence is insufficient to know if there is an additional benefit to combining different treatments. • Strength of evidence: Insufficient • It should be noted that where there is socioeconomic burden, a school-based intervention appears to be the primary beneficial intervention. Benefits, however, diminished over 2 years. This appears to be related to lack of parental engagement and attendance at sessions. • Strength of evidence: Insufficient Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  15. Long-term (>1 Year) Effectiveness of ADHD Interventions in Individuals 6 Years of Age or Older: Pharmacologic • Psychostimulants provide control of ADHD symptoms and are generally well tolerated for months to years at a time. • The best evidence is for MPH in the setting of careful medication monitoring for up to 14 months. • Strength of evidence: Low • Atomoxetine (ATX) appears to be safe and effective for treating ADHD symptoms over 12 months. • Strength of evidence: Low • Extended-release guanfacine may reduce ADHD symptoms, but evidence is insufficient to permit an evidence-based conclusion about its long-term effectiveness. • Strength of evidence: Insufficient Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  16. Long-term (>1 Year) Effectiveness of ADHD Interventions in Individuals 6 Years of Age or Older: Nonpharmacologic • Evidence is insufficient to know if behavioral or psychosocial treatment alone is an effective long-term treatment option for children 6 yearsor older with ADHD. • Strength of evidence: Insufficient • There are not enough studies to know if parental behavior training or school-based interventions are effective long-term treatment options for children 6 years or older with ADHD. • However, one good-quality study and its extension showed that school-based programs to enhance academic skills are effective in improving achievement scores in multiple domains. • Strength of evidence: Insufficient Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  17. Long-term (>1 Year) Effectiveness of ADHD Interventions in Individuals 6 Years of Age or Older: Combined Treatments • Both psychostimulant medication alone and a combination of medication and behavioral treatment are effective in treating ADHD plus oppositional defiant disorder symptoms in children. • Results are most applicable to elementary school-age boys of normal intelligence with the combined subtype of ADHD. • Strength of evidence: Low Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  18. Adverse Effects (1 of 3) Although not critically evaluated within the report, general research on adverse effects associated with ADHD treatments suggests the following: • Psychostimulants and ATX may cause insomnia, appetite loss, tiredness, social withdrawal, and abdominal pain. • Psychostimulants and ATX may also cause a modest increase in average blood pressure and average heart rate in some children and adolescents. • Children or adolescents taking ATX may be more likely to think about suicide than those who do not take it. Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  19. Adverse Effects (2 of 3) • More adverse effects were reported in preschoolers than in primary school children. • Moodiness and irritability often led to discontinuation of treatment with MPH. • ADHD medications appear to have a small but distinct dose-related impact on growth rates in children. • Some studies found that although children taking ADHD medications appear to have diminished growth rates, they may eventually catch up on their growth over time. • Safety investigations from observational studies and administrative databases did not provide conclusive evidence for cardiovascular or cerebrovascular adverse effects. Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  20. Adverse Effects (3 of 3) • GXR was not well tolerated in studies, with less than 20 percent of participants completing the studies at 12 months. Adverse effects include somnolence or sedation, fatigue, headache, and possible weight gain. Abnormal or worsening electrocardiographic changes judged clinically significant in 1 percent of patients suggest that monitoring of cardiac status is indicated. Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  21. Variability in Prevalence, Clinical Identification, and Treatment of ADHD in Children (1 of 5) Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  22. Variability in Prevalence, Clinical Identification, and Treatment of ADHD in Children (2 of 5) Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  23. Variability in Prevalence, Clinical Identification, and Treatment of ADHD in Children (3 of 5) Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  24. Variability in Prevalence, Clinical Identification, and Treatment of ADHD in Children (4 of 5) SES = socioeconomic status Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  25. Variability in Prevalence, Clinical Identification, and Treatment of ADHD in Children (5 of 5) Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  26. Conclusions (1 of 3) • The number of ADHD cases identified has increased over time. • Children from lower SES households are diagnosed with ADHD more often than children from higher SES households. • However, children from higher SES households are more likely to receive treatment than those from lower SES households. • High-strength evidence shows that parental behavior training is efficacious for preschoolers; however, parents often drop out. SES = socioeconomic status Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  27. Conclusions (2 of 3) • Evidence is insufficient to know if school-based interventions are effective for preschoolers, and there are very few data on ADHD medications in preschoolers other than MPH. • For children 6 years of age or older, evidence is insufficient to know if nonpharmacologic treatments alone are beneficial in the long term. • Evidence shows that ADHD medications are safe and effective for children 6 and older. • For both preschoolers and children over the age of 6, long-term effectiveness and adverse effects are not well studied. Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  28. Conclusions (3 of 3) • Which interventions are best for which children and which behavior training programs are most suitable for parents is unknown. • Limited evidence suggests that some subgroups of children may benefit from combined medication and behavioral interventions more than from medication alone. • It is unclear how long treatment may be required, of what type, and for which subgroups. • More adverse effects were reported in preschoolers than in elementary school children. • Moodiness and irritability often lead to discontinuation of treatment with MPH. • Although children taking ADHD medications appear to have diminished growth rates, some studies found diminished growth is not permanent and the children may eventually catch up on their growth. Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  29. Gaps in Knowledge (1 of 2) • Data regarding the long-term effectiveness or possible adverse effects for all ADHD treatments are scarce. • The few long-term studies that are available are mostly on medications. • Studies are needed to compare effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment for girls, as the current evidence is based primarily on boys. • Other populations that need further research include ethnic minorities and families of low socioeconomic status. Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  30. Gaps in Knowledge (2 of 2) • Little specific information is available regarding outcomes for children with comorbid learning disabilities, language impairments, and reading or mathematics disorders. • Investigations of parental preferences regarding behavior training are needed to determine if parental completion rates for training can be improved. • Very few studies examined psychostimulant use for preschoolers. • Very few randomized clinical trials offer information about parental training interventions designed specifically for preschoolers with ADHD. Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

  31. What To Discuss With Your Patients and Their Caregivers • How ADHD affects children or adolescents and their families. • Potential benefits associated with nonpharmacologic interventions such as parental behavior therapy programs. • Potential benefits and adverse effects associated with psychostimulants and nonstimulants. • Patient preferences regarding diagnosis and treatment options, including pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions. • How they can access information from the National Resource Center on ADHD about diagnosis and treatment, educational programs, public benefits, and other issues. Charach A, Dashti B, Carson P, et al. AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 44. October 2011. Available at www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/adhdtreatment.cfm.

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