NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - An experimental drug could offer an effective nonstimulant alternative for treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a new report. Atomoxetine not only eases symptoms of ADHD but also reduces problems associated with family and social functioning, Dr. Calvin R. Sumner told Reuters Health in an interview. Sumner is a researcher at Eli Lilly and Company, the firm that developed atomoxetine and funded the research. ADHD is characterized by impulsiveness, difficulty with academic and social functioning, and short attention span. It is most frequently treated with the stimulant drug Ritalin. In the study, lead author Dr. David Michelson, medical director at Eli Lilly, and colleagues evaluated ADHD symptoms in 297 children between the ages of 8 and 18. Half of the patients received atomoxetine while the other half took an inactive placebo.
During the course of the 8-week study, parents of the patients completed questionnaires that assessed their child’s behavior. “Among children and adolescents aged 8 to 18, atomoxetine was superior to placebo in reducing ADHD symptoms,” the authors write in the November issue of the journal Pediatrics. The drug also improved children’s ability to interact with family members and friends and increased characteristics related to self-esteem, Sumner told Reuters Health. In general, most patients went from being diagnosed with moderate to severe ADHD to having their symptoms rated as mild to minimal, he added.
As for side effects, Sumner said that some of the patients experienced decreased appetite and sleepiness at higher doses of the drug. Atomoxetine does not appear to be associated with insomnia, a problem associated with stimulant treatments for ADHD, he added. Atomoxetine seems to work by blocking norepinephrine, a chemical that helps to transmit nerve impulses. The drug increases norepinephrine function and improves the efficiency and quality of brain function, Sumner explained. Studies of atomoxetine are ongoing, and Eli Lilly has submitted an application to the US Food and Drug Administration for approval of this drug for treating ADHD, according to Sumner. SOURCE Pediatrics 2001;108.