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Biotech / Medical : Celgene-CELG -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Miljenko Zuanic who wrote (320)	7/3/1999 12:42:00 PM
From: Miljenko Zuanic	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 804

Another opportunity for methylphenidate single isomer! Great Holiday to all. Miljenko pharmacotherapy.medscape.com Preschoolers Susceptible to Side Effects of Methylphenidate WESTPORT, Jun 28 (Reuters Health) - In the Journal of The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry for July, researchers report that methylphenidate is effective in preschoolers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and developmental disabilities, but that preschoolers are susceptible to adverse side effects. The findings come from the results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study on the effects of methylphenidate in 11 children, 4.0 to 5.11 years of age, with developmental difficulties. Nine subjects met the criteria for ADHD and the other two had a long history of problems with inattention and hyperactivity. The use of stimulants in children younger than five years of age remains controversial. "The purpose of this study was to extend our knowledge of the safety and efficacy of [methylphenidate] among preschool children...as a first step toward establishing guidelines for use," Dr. Benjamin L. Handen and colleagues of the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania writes. The children in the study received methylphenidate, 0.3 or 0.6 mg/kg, or placebo once, twice or three times per day, depending on the length of the preschool day. They all started on the lower dose due to concerns about adverse effects. Dr. Handen and colleagues report that 73% of the preschoolers had a positive response to methylphenidate, similar to the percentage of school-age children with ADHD who respond to this stimulant. However, 45% of the children experienced significant side effects from the medication, including "...severe social withdrawal, increased crying, and irritability." These adverse effects were more common at the 0.6-mg dose. Dr. Handen's group concludes that preschoolers may respond to methylphenidate as well as school-age children, but warns that physicians "...should be vigilant for significant adverse side effects...especially at the higher, 0.6 mg/kg dose." The authors also caution that increased social withdrawal, marked by reduced activity levels and less restlessness, may account for improved behavior ratings in some children. "Therefore, it is important that clinicians examine both behavior ratings and adverse side effects scales when making [methylphenidate] dose decisions." J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1999;38:805-812.