Changes in characteristics and body mass index-SD after guanfacine extended-release administration for ADHD children

Aim:To clarify the change in characteristics and body mass index standard deviation (BMI-SD) after guanfacine extended-release (GXR) administration for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children, we undertook a clinical survey of ADHD children. Methods:Among 209 pediatric patients with ADHD, two groups were selected:those who patients were received GXR monotherapy (Group 1) and those who were treated with non-pharmacological therapy alone (Group 2). Results:1) BMI-SD scores before and after treatment were 0.56±1.05, 0.76±1.21, respectively, in Group 1 and 0.33±1.18, 0.46±1.15, respectively, in Group 2. The frequency of patients with a BMI-SD score more than 2.0 SD before and at about 2 years after treatment were 7.8% and 13.7%, respectively, in Group 1 and 4.1% and 8.2%, respectively, in Group 2. There were no significant differences between these values before and after treatment. 2) ADHD Rating Scale (ADHD-RS) scores and the improvement rate for each score in Group 1 were higher than those in Group 2. 3) In Group 1, the ADHD-RS scores at the most recent follow-up were significantly lower than those before treatment. Conclusion:GXR administration did not affect obesity in ADHD patients and reduced the characteristics of ADHD, suggesting its usefulness in managing ADHD patients.