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 .
A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Guanfacine Extended Release in Children and Adolescents With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
OBJECTIVE . With this study we assessed the efficacy and safety of an extended-release formulation of guanfacine compared with placebo for the treatment of children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder . METHODS . In this multicenter , double-blind , placebo-controlled , fixed-dosage escalation study , patients aged 6 to 17 years were r and omly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups of guanfacine extended release ( 2 , 3 , or 4 mg/day ) or placebo for 8 weeks . The primary outcome measurement was the Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale IV total score . Secondary measurements included Clinical Global Impression of Improvement , Parent 's Global Assessment , Conners ' Parent Rating Scale – Revised : Short Form , and Conners ' Teacher Rating Scale – Revised : Short Form . RESULTS . A total of 345 patients were r and omly assigned to placebo ( n = 86 ) or guanfacine extended release 2 mg ( n = 87 ) , 3 mg ( n = 86 ) , or 4 mg ( n = 86 ) treatment groups . Least-squares mean changes from baseline to the end point in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale IV total scores were significant in all groups of children taking guanfacine extended release : −16.18 in the 2-mg group , −16.43 in the 3-mg group , and −18.87 in the 4-mg group , compared with −8.48 in the placebo group . All groups of children taking guanfacine extended release showed significant improvement on hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattentiveness subscales of the Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale IV , Clinical Global Impression of Improvement , Parent 's Global Assessment , Conners ' Parent Rating Scale – Revised : Short Form , and Conners ' Teacher Rating Scale – Revised : Short Form assessment s compared with placebo . The most commonly reported treatment-emergent adverse events were headache , somnolence , fatigue , upper abdominal pain , and sedation . Small to modest changes in blood pressure , pulse rate , and electrocardiogram parameters were observed but were not clinical ly meaningful . CONCLUSIONS . Guanfacine extended release met the primary and secondary efficacy end points . It was well tolerated and effective compared with placebo
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 .