An Open-Label Study of the Improvements in Clinical Symptoms and Neurocognitive Functions in Korean Children and Adolescents with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder after Treatment with Metadate CD

Abstract

Objectives：This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of Metadate CD (MCD) when given to Korean children and adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We also explored the effects of the drug on diverse neurocognitive functions.Methods：Ninety-one subjects with ADHD (mean age 8.6±2.2 years) were recruited at 6 outpatient clinics in Seoul, Korea. We used the ADHD Rating Scale (ARS), Clinical Global Impression (CGI), and comprehensive attention test (CAT) to measure the drugʼs effects.Results： After 0.92±0.32mg/kg/day of MCD were administered for 57.4±7.6 days, there was a 48.5% reduction in the mean total ARS scores (p＜.001). Fifty-seven subjects (64.8%) showed either much improved or very much improved outcomes on the CGI-Improvement scale. The CGI-Severity scale also decreased from an average of 4.7 to an average of 2.9 (p＜.001). Errors and response time standard deviations of the CAT, sustained attention test-to-response tasks, the flanker test, and divided attention test scores decreased after treatment (p＜.05). The forward memory span of the spatial working memory test scores increased (p＜.05). Thirty-five patients (39.8%) experienced side effects, of which the most common were headache (14.8%), nausea (12.5%), and anorexia (9.1%).Conclusion：This open-label study suggests that MCD is effective and safe in improving the symptoms and neurocognitive functions of Korean children and adolescents with ADHD.KEY WORDS：ADHDㆍMetadate CDㆍEffectivenessㆍSafetyㆍComprehensive Attention Test.