Clinical trial NCT00018863: Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Preschool-Age Children (PATS)
Official title: Methylphenidate Efficacy and Safety in ADHD Preschoolers
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE3
Conditions: Attention Deficit Disorder With Hyperactivity
Keywords: ADHD
Lead sponsor: New York State Psychiatric Institute
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
First posted: 2001-07-09
Enrollment: 165
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 3
Maximum age (years): 5
Standard ages: CHILD
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: This research focuses on the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in very young children. The medication being used is methylphenidate (Ritalin); it is being studied to determine its safety and how well it works to treat ADHD in preschool-age children (3-5.5 year olds).

Detailed description: Young children age 3-5.5 years will be studied. The study includes treatment with different doses of methylphenidate and placebo; all children will receive active medication during the study. Prior to treatment, each child will receive a thorough psychiatric evaluation and each guardian will complete a 10-week workshop (2 hours/week). Throughout the study, parents and teachers will complete forms that report on the child's behavior and possible side effects. Participants will be monitored by regular visits with a study physician. Most participants will be involved in the study for up to 16 months to ensure optimal evaluation, dosing, and monitoring

Eligibility criteria: Boys and girls who are:

* Between the ages of 3-5.5 years
* Qualified as having ADHD by our diagnostic evaluations and clinical staff
* Otherwise generally healthy
* Willing, and have parents that are willing, to attend all visits required by the study
* Enrolled in some type of day-program: day care, preschool, nursery school, kindergarten, for at least 2 half days/week
* In classrooms with teachers that are willing to participate by completing rating scale

Primary outcomes:
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Irvine
country: United States
facility: University of California, Irvine
state: California
city: Los Angeles
country: United States
facility: University of California, Los Angeles
state: California
city: Baltimore
country: United States
facility: Johns Hopkins University
state: Maryland
city: New York
country: United States
facility: New York State Psychiatric Institute
state: New York
city: New York
country: United States
facility: New York University School of Medicine
state: New York
city: Durham
country: United States
facility: Duke University Medical Center
state: North Carolina
Study officials:
name: Laurence Greenhill, M.D.
role: STUDY_CHAIR
References:
citation: Schleifer M, Weiss G, Cohen N, Elman M, Cvejic H, Kruger E. Hyperactivity in preschoolers and the effect of methylphenidate. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 1975 Jan;45(1):38-50. doi: 10.1111/j.1939-0025.1975.tb01164.x.
citation: Handen BL, Feldman HM, Lurier A, Murray PJ. Efficacy of methylphenidate among preschool children with developmental disabilities and ADHD. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1999 Jul;38(7):805-12. doi: 10.1097/00004583-199907000-00009.
citation: Conners CK: Controlled trial of methylphenidate in preschool children with minimal brain dysfunction. Int J Ment Health (4):61-74, 1975.
citation: Barkley RA. The effects of methylphenidate on the interactions of preschool ADHD children with their mothers. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1988 May;27(3):336-41. doi: 10.1097/00004583-198805000-00012. No abstract available.
citation: Mayes SD, Crites DL, Bixler EO, Humphrey FJ 2nd, Mattison RE. Methylphenidate and ADHD: influence of age, IQ and neurodevelopmental status. Dev Med Child Neurol. 1994 Dec;36(12):1099-107. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1994.tb11811.x.
citation: Musten LM, Firestone P, Pisterman S, Bennett S, Mercer J. Effects of methylphenidate on preschool children with ADHD: cognitive and behavioral functions. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1997 Oct;36(10):1407-15. doi: 10.1097/00004583-199710000-00023.
citation: Kollins S, Greenhill L, Swanson J, Wigal S, Abikoff H, McCRACKEN J, Riddle M, McGOUGH J, Vitiello B, Wigal T, Skrobala A, Posner K, Ghuman J, Davies M, Cunningham C, Bauzo A. Rationale, design, and methods of the Preschool ADHD Treatment Study (PATS). J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2006 Nov;45(11):1275-1283. doi: 10.1097/01.chi.0000235074.86919.dc.
citation: Swanson J, Greenhill L, Wigal T, Kollins S, Stehli A, Davies M, Chuang S, Vitiello B, Skrobala A, Posner K, Abikoff H, Oatis M, McCRACKEN J, McGOUGH J, Riddle M, Ghuman J, Cunningham C, Wigal S. Stimulant-related reductions of growth rates in the PATS. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2006 Nov;45(11):1304-1313. doi: 10.1097/01.chi.0000235075.25038.5a.
citation: Greenhill L, Kollins S, Abikoff H, McCracken J, Riddle M, Swanson J, McGough J, Wigal S, Wigal T, Vitiello B, Skrobala A, Posner K, Ghuman J, Cunningham C, Davies M, Chuang S, Cooper T. Efficacy and safety of immediate-release methylphenidate treatment for preschoolers with ADHD. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2006 Nov;45(11):1284-1293. doi: 10.1097/01.chi.0000235077.32661.61.
citation: McGOUGH J, McCRACKEN J, Swanson J, Riddle M, Kollins S, Greenhill L, Abikoff H, Davies M, Chuang S, Wigal T, Wigal S, Posner K, Skrobala A, Kastelic E, Ghuman J, Cunningham C, Shigawa S, Moyzis R, Vitiello B. Pharmacogenetics of methylphenidate response in preschoolers with ADHD. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2006 Nov;45(11):1314-1322. doi: 10.1097/01.chi.0000235083.40285.08.
citation: Wigal T, Greenhill L, Chuang S, McGOUGH J, Vitiello B, Skrobala A, Swanson J, Wigal S, Abikoff H, Kollins S, McCRACKEN J, Riddle M, Posner K, Ghuman J, Davies M, Thorp B, Stehli A. Safety and tolerability of methylphenidate in preschool children with ADHD. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2006 Nov;45(11):1294-1303. doi: 10.1097/01.chi.0000235082.63156.27.