All included treatments result ed in ADHD improvement .
On the basis of this literature review , a consistent pattern of improvement in pediatric ADHD patients ' core symptoms emerged across studies , study design s , and recommended treatment approaches .
OBJECTIVE The 2011 American Academy of Pediatrics attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) guideline emphasizes monitoring and measuring outcomes of children diagnosed with ADHD ; however , recommendations for how to measure improvement are less clear .
A long-term goal was to develop an outcome measure that assesses the quality of care for children with ADHD .
As a first step in that process , we conducted a literature synthesis on the efficacy and effectiveness of guideline -recommended ADHD treatments on patient outcomes .
Guanfacine extended release in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a placebo-controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE This study compared the efficacy of guanfacine extended release ( GXR ) , a selective alpha(2A)-adrenoceptor agonist , with placebo in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) . METHOD This double-blind , 9-week , dose-ranging , parallel- design , multicenter trial r and omized 6- to 17-year-olds with ADHD to once-daily oral GXR in 1- , 2- , 3- , and 4-mg doses or placebo . Primary outcome was change in total ADHD Rating Scale-IV score from baseline to endpoint . Secondary outcomes included changes in scores of hyperactive/impulsive and inattentive subscales ; clinician and parent ratings ; duration of clinical effect ; and safety measures . RESULTS Statistically significant reductions in ADHD Rating Scale-IV scores were observed from baseline to endpoint at all doses of GXR , with effect sizes ranging from 0.43 to 0.62 . In subjects receiving GXR , mean heart rate and systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased as the dose of GXR increased and then returned toward baseline during the dose-maintenance and dose-tapering phases of the trial . Most frequent treatment-emergent adverse events ( > or = 5 % ) were somnolence , headache , fatigue , sedation , dizziness , irritability , upper abdominal pain , and nausea . Somnolence , sedation , and fatigue adverse events emerged within the first 2 weeks of dosing and generally resolved by study end . CONCLUSIONS : Guanfacine extended-release was effective in reducing symptoms of ADHD . Adverse events were mild to moderate , did not interfere with improvements in attention , and rarely led to discontinuation
All included treatments result ed in ADHD improvement .
On the basis of this literature review , a consistent pattern of improvement in pediatric ADHD patients ' core symptoms emerged across studies , study design s , and recommended treatment approaches .
OBJECTIVE The 2011 American Academy of Pediatrics attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) guideline emphasizes monitoring and measuring outcomes of children diagnosed with ADHD ; however , recommendations for how to measure improvement are less clear .
A long-term goal was to develop an outcome measure that assesses the quality of care for children with ADHD .
As a first step in that process , we conducted a literature synthesis on the efficacy and effectiveness of guideline -recommended ADHD treatments on patient outcomes .