Add Extended-Release Guanfacine to a Stimulant for ADHD?

Extended-release guanfacine can be a safe and effective add-on for a child with ADHD who adheres to a maximum-dose stimulant regimen and responds suboptimally.

Extended-release guanfacine (GXR) is an effective monotherapy for core symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; JW Pediatr Adolesc Med Mar 26 2008). Is extended-release guanfacine a safe and effective add-on for ADHD patients who have only a partial response to a stimulant medication's maximum dose?

Researchers addressed this question in a manufacturer-funded, multicenter study of 461children with ADHD (age range, 6–17 years); all had experienced a suboptimal response to extended-release oral methylphenidate or amphetamine. Participants were randomized to receive, along with a continued morning dose of the stimulant, one of three add-on regimens for 9 weeks: GXR in the morning, GXR in the evening, or placebo.

From baseline …

Reviewing Author

Martin T. Stein, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardPearson Neuroscience Advisory Board

Speaker’s bureauAmerican Academy of Pediatrics

RoyaltiesElsevier, Inc.

Editorial boardsJournal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

Martin T. Stein, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardPearson Neuroscience Advisory Board

Speaker’s bureauAmerican Academy of Pediatrics

RoyaltiesElsevier, Inc.

Editorial boardsJournal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics