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Methylphenidate Does Not Alter Chromosomes in Children With ADHD: Presented at APA By Roberta Friedman, PhD SAN FRANCISCO -- May 21, 2009 -- A study that had raised an alarm about stimulants for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been refuted by a larger trial that failed to show any hints of damage to DNA from the use of methylphenidate. Vinod Kumar MD, Novartis, Chicago, Illinois, reported the results here in a poster presentation on May 18 at the 162nd Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Several investigations have not repeated the initial finding, Dr. Kumar said. "When you have a small number of patients you have to be careful with data that are hard to interpret." The current study, as did the prior one, used biomarkers of chromosome change. "It's not easy to measure these changes," Dr. Kumar said. The open-label study tested extended release methylphenidate used in conjunction with behavioural therapy and compared the combined treatment to behavioural therapy alone in 109 children, aged 6 to 12 years, with ADHD. The markers of gene change used were changes in baseline observation of chromosomal aberrations, micronuclei, and sister chromatid exchanges. Blinded scorers evaluated these measures, which did not significantly differ between the 2 treatment groups. Doses of the extended release form of methylphenidate ranged from 10 to 60 mg/d in the children in the 3-month trial. Behavioural therapy alone did not ameliorate symptoms as well as the combined therapy, as measured by Conners ADHD/DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition) Scales for Parents (-17.0 compared with -7.0), the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) Severity Improvement scale (-1.9 compared with -0.6), and the CGI Global Improvement scale (1.9 compared with 3.0). Funding for this study was provided by Novartis Pharma AG. [Presentation title: Effects of Extended Release Methylphenidate on the Frequency of Cytogenetic Abnormalities in Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity. Abstract NR2-037] E-mail this page to a friend or colleague! To print, use this version