A meta-analysis of the drugs used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the short term finds the best choices to be methylphenidate in children and adolescents, and amphetamines in adults, according to a Lancet Psychiatry report.
Researchers examined efficacy and tolerability data from published and unpublished double-blind, randomized, controlled trials. The 133 trials included some 14,000 children and 10,000 adults. Other drugs evaluat
ed in the “network meta-analysis,” which allows indirect comparisons of drugs not directly tested head-to-head, included atomoxetine, bupropion, clonidine, guanfacine, and modafinil.
Overall, results favored using methylphenidate in children and adolescents, and amphetamines in adults as first-line, short-term (12 weeks or under) treatment.