TORONTO — Atomoxetine once a day is as effective as methylphenidate taken twice a day in reducing symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children, Dr. Yufeng Wang of Beijing Medical University reported in a poster at the joint annual meeting of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
However, the study, funded by Eli Lilly & Co., concluded that treatment-emergent adverse events, including anorexia, nausea, somnolence, dizziness, and vomiting, were significantly more common among those taking atomoxetine.
The study involved a total of 330 children aged 6–16 years from China, Mexico, and Korea who were randomized to either once-daily atomoxetine (0.8–1.8 mg/kg per day) or twice-daily methylphenidate (0.2–0.5 mg/kg per day). Responders were those who experienced at least a 40% reduction from baseline symptom scores as measured by the parents' ADHD Rating Scale. Response rates were 77% for atomoxetine and 81% for methylphenidate—not a statistically significant difference.
The total score changes on the parents' ADHD Rating Scale were similar for atomoxetine and methylphenidate (38 vs. 37, respectively), as were the score changes on the inattention and hyperactivity subscales. Changes on the Connors Parent Rating Scale and the Clinical Global Impressions scale also were similar for both groups.
Side effects were classified as mild to moderate, and tended to occur early and decrease over time. The side effects that were significantly more common in the atomoxetine group than in the methylphenidate group were anorexia (37% vs. 25%), decreased appetite (28% vs. 19%), nausea (20% vs. 10%), somnolence (26% vs. 4%), dizziness (15% vs. 7%), and vomiting (12% vs. 6%).