Developmental aspects of psychostimulant treatment in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Objectives: To examine the relationship between age and short-term clinical response to psychostimulant treatment in youths with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and to examine whether weight-corrected doses of optimized psychostimulant therapy varied as a function of patient age. Method., One hundred seventy-seven patients were treated with either methylphenidate (MPH) or Adderall (R) (ADL). Sixty-six youths received ADL and 111 patients were treated with MPH. All youths were evaluated at baseline and after receiving a week of treatment at each blinded, randomized dose level (placebo, 5, 10, or 15 mg). A "best dose" for each patient was assigned before the medication blind was broken. Behavioral ratings by both teachers and parents were examined for dose and medication effects. Results: The medications had similar efficacy in children and teenagers. Older youths, however, benefited from a smaller weight-adjusted dose of medication than did the younger children. Similar efficacy was observed between the medications, Conclusions: These data suggest that psychostimulants are equally effective in treating children and adolescents with ADHD. Adolescents with ADHD may not necessarily require more medication than younger children to achieve a similar therapeutic response.