Source: Amyloid  |  Posted 9 years ago

Atomoxetine, administered once daily, is an effective treatment for children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

David Michelson, MD, medical director of Lilly Research Laboratories, in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, and colleagues conducted a double-blind clinical trial involving 171 children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The children, who ranged in age from 6 to 16 years, were randomly assigned to receive six weeks of treatment with either atomoxetine administered daily or placebo.

Outcomes among atomoxetine-treated patients were superior to those in the placebo group as assessed by investigator, parent, and teacher ratings. The treatment effect size (0.71) was similar to those observed in previous atomoxetine studies that used twice-daily dosing, the investigators reported.

Parent diary ratings suggested that drug-specific effects were sustained late in the day. Discontinuations due to adverse events were less than three percent for both treatment groups and no serious safety concerns were observed.