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Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and side effects of metylphenidate (MPH) and atomoxetine (ATX) for treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Method: 147 patients between ages 7-16 years with ADHD and without other comorbid psychopathologies were included to the study. Out of 147, 98 patients completed the study. 32 patients used ATX and 66 patients used MPH in the study. Choice of medication was made randomly and patients were assessed at 1st,3rd and 6th month with Conners Teacher Rating Scale (CTRS) and clinic assessment. Efficay was defined as a decrease of 40% or more from baseline CTRS score at month 6. Side effects and safety were assessed at each visit by questionnaires.
Results: Medication groups had similar characteristics in terms of sociodemographic data and initial CTRS scores. Average drug doses were 0,68 mg/kg/day for MPH and 1,17 mg/kg/day for ATX. While efficacy rates in patients using MPH were 47% in hyperactivity symptom, 65,3% in attention deficit symptoms and 54,5% in conduct disorder symptoms; these rates were respectively 40,6%; 53,1% and 37,5% in patients using ATX. Side effect rates were 33,3% (n=22) in MPH group and 43,8% (n=14) in ATX group. There was no significant difference between the treatment groups in terms of efficacy and side effect rates (p>0.05). Also; there was no significant difference on CTRS scores between two medications as a function of time.
Conclusion: In this study, ATX and MPH were compared based on efficacy and side effects and no significant differences were found. It's noteworthy that clinical improvement could be observed from first month with both of drugs. In summary, ATX and MPH had similar treatment profiles for ADHD.