Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-16T10:21:26.141Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Age-related pharmacotherapy of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Slovenia in children and adolescents: A population-based study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2020

M. Stuhec  and
I. Locatelli
M. Stuhec*
Affiliation:
Department for Clinical Pharmacy, Ormoz Psychiatric Hospital Ptujska 33, 9242 2270, Ormoz, Slovenia, European Union Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Askerceva cesta 7, SI-1000Ljubljana, Slovenia, European Union
I. Locatelli
Affiliation:
Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Askerceva cesta 7, SI-1000Ljubljana, Slovenia, European Union
*
*Corresponding author. Ptujska Cesta 33, Ormoz, Slovenia, European Union. Tel.: +38641239414; fax: +386 2 74 15 147. E-mail address:[email protected] (M. Stuhec).
Get access

Abstract

Background

There are no data on age-related pharmacotherapy for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) medication in children and adolescents in the most European countries. The main aim of this paper was to obtain that data for children and adolescents in Slovenia.

Method

The number of ADHD drug prescriptions per patient was obtained from the health claims data on prescription drugs of the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia for the study period (2003–2015). Three age groups were analyzed: 2–5 years, 6–12 years, and 13–17 years. Only immediate-release methylphenidate (IR-MPH), methylphenidate-osmotic release oral delivery system (OROS-MPH), and atomoxetine (ATX) were available and included in this study.

Results

Less than 50% of patients in Slovenia were treated with medication. The number of patients treated with MPH in the 6–12 age group remained approximately the same between 2007 and 2015 (604–729 patients). In the 13–17 age group, however that number increased 2-fold between 2003 and 2015, from 288 to 555. The number of patients treated with ATX in the 6–12 age group age group increased from 20 to 163 between 2007 and 2015. The number was similar in the 13–17 age group, increasing from 10 to 165 in the same period. In 2015, 21% of the patients from all age groups in this study were treated with ATX.

Conclusions

The number of patients treated for ADHD increased rapidly in all age groups. Patients under the age of six are prescribed medication in Slovenia, which should be avoided.

Keywords

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity DisorderChildren and adolescentsPopulationPharmacotherapySlovenia
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 42 , May 2017 , pp. 129 - 133
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2017

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Polanczyk, G.V., Salum, G.A., Sugaya, L.S., Caye, A., Rohde, L.A.Annual research review: a meta-analysis of the worldwide prevalence of mental disorders in children and adolescents. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2015;56:345–365.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Akutagava-Martins, G.C., Rohde, L.A., Hutz, M.H.Genetics of attention–deficit/hyperactivity disorder: an update. Expert Rev Neurother 2016;16:145–156.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Štuhec, M., Švab, V., Locatelli, I.Prevalence and incidence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in Slovenian children and adolescents: a database study from a national perspective. Croat Med J 2015;56:159–165.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schubert, I., Köster, I., Lehmkuhl, G.The changing prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and methylphenidate prescriptions: a study of data from a random sample of insurees of the AOK Health Insurance Company in the German State of Hesse, 2000–2007. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2010;107:615–621.Google ScholarPubMed
Use of ADHD drugs “increases by 50% in six years”. 2013 [Accessed, April 2016] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-23674235.Google Scholar
Taylor, E., Döpfner, M., Sergeant, J., Asherson, P., Banaschewski, T., Buitelaar, J.et al.European clinical guidelines for hyperkinetic disorder – first upgrade. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2004;13:I7–I30.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Caye, A., Spadini, A.V., Karam, R.G., Grevet, E.H., Rovaris, D.L., Bau, C.H.et al.Predictors of persistence of ADHD into adulthood: a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2016;25(11):1151–1159. 10.1007/s00787-016-0831-8. [Epub ahead of print]CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dalsgaard, S., Østergaard, S.D., Leckman, J.F., Mortensen, P.B., Pedersen, M.G.Mortality in children, adolescents, and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a nationwide cohort study. Lancet 2015;385:2190–2196.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
London, A.S., Landes, S.D.Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and adult mortality. Prev Med 2016;90:8–10.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Flood, E., Gajria, K., Sikirica, V., Dietrich, C.N., Romero, B., Harpin, V.et al.The Caregiver Perspective on Paediatric ADHD (CAPPA) survey: understanding sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, treatment use and impact of ADHD in Europe. J Affect Disord 2016;200:222–234.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hennig, T., Jaya, E.S., Koglin, U., Lincoln, T.M.Associations of attention-deficit/hyperactivity and other childhood disorders with psychotic experiences and disorders in adolescence. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00787-016-0831-810.1007/s00787-016-0904-8.Google ScholarPubMed
Faraone, S.V.Using meta-analysis to compare the efficacy of medications for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in youths. P T 2009;34:678–694.Google ScholarPubMed
Faraone, S.V., Biederman, J., Spencer, T.J., Aleardi, M.Comparing the efficacy of medications for ADHD using meta-analysis. Med Gen Med 2006;8:4.Google ScholarPubMed
Stuhec, M., Munda, B., Svab, V., Locatelli, I.Comparative efficacy and acceptability of atomoxetine, lisdexamfetamine, bupropion and methylphenidate in treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents: a meta-analysis with focus on bupropion. J Affect Disord 2015;178:149–159.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roskell, N.S., Setyawan, J., Zimovetz, E.A., Hodgkins, P.Systematic evidence synthesis of treatments for ADHD in children and adolescents: indirect treatment comparisons of lisdexamfetamine with methylphenidate and atomoxetine. Curr Med Res Opin 2014;30:1673–1685.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bolea-Alamañac, B., Nutt, D.J., Adamou, M., Asherson, P., Bazire, S., Coghill, D.et al.Evidence-based guidelines for the pharmacological management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: update on recommendations from the British Association for Psychopharmacology. J Psychopharmacol 2014;28:179–203.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
NICE clinical guidelines CG72 (2008) Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and management of ADHD in children, young people and adults. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; 2008. [Available: http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg72; Accessed, April 2016]Google Scholar
Štuhec, M., Locatelli, I., Švab, V.Trends in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder drug consumption in children and adolescents in slovenia from 2001 to 2012: a drug use study from a national perspective. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2015;25:254–259.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Štuhec, M.Hiperkinetičnisindrom: od epidemiologije do zdravljenja z zdravil [Hyperkinetic syndrome: from epidemiology to pharmacotherapy]. Farmacevtski vestnik 2015;66:177–184.Google Scholar
Stuhec, M.Pharmacotherapy of ADHD in Slovenia: realities and perspectives. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2016;25:455–457.Google Scholar
McCarthy, S., Wilton, L., Murray, M.L., Hodgkins, P., Asherson, P., Wong, I.C.The epidemiology of pharmacologically treated attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, adolescents and adultsin UK primary care. BMC Pediatr 2012;12:78.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Subelj, M., Vidmar, G., Svab, V.Time trends in prescribing habits ofanxiolytics and antidepressants in Slovenian family practices (with emphasis on elderly patients). Coll Antropol 2012;36:483–489.Google Scholar
Treceño, C., Martín Arias, L.H., Sáinz, M., Salado, I., García Ortega, P., Velasco, V.et al.Trends in the consumption of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medications in Castilla y León (Spain): changes in the consumption pattern following the introduction of extended release methylphenidate. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2012;21:435–441.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
IMS health. http://www.IMShealth.com. [Accessed on 2nd April 2016].Google Scholar
Garbe, E., Mikolajczyk, R.T., Banaschewski, T., Petermann, U., Petermann, F., Kraut, A.A.et al.Drug treatment patterns of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents in Germany: results from a large population-based cohort study. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2012;22:452–458.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Renoux, C., Shin, J.Y., Dell’Aniello, S., Fergusson, E., Suissa, S.Prescribing trends of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications in UK primary care, 1995–2015. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2016;82:858–868.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hodgkins, P., Setyawan, J., Mitra, D., Davis, K., Quintero, J., Fridman, M.et al.Management of ADHD in children across Europe: patient demographics, physician characteristics and treatment patterns. Eur J Pediatr 2013;172:895–906.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Abikoff, H.B., Vitiello, B., Riddle, M.A., Cunningham, C., Greenhill, L.L., Swanson, J.M.et al.Methylphenidate effects on functional outcomes in the Preschoolers with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Treatment Study (PATS). J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2007;17:581–592.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Upadhyaya, H., Kratochvil, C., Ghuman, J., Camporeale, A., Lipsius, S., D'Souza, D.et al.Efficacy and safety extrapolation analyses for atomoxetine in young children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2015;25:799–809.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stuhec, M., Svab, V.Atomoxetine-induced life-threatening long QT syndrome. Ir J Med Sci 2013;182:535–537.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shier, A.C., Reichenbacher, T., Ghuman, H.S., Ghuman, J.K.Pharmacological treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents: clinical strategies. J Cent Nerv Syst Dis 2012;20(5):1–17.Google Scholar
Ponizovsky, A.M., Marom, E., Fitoussi, I.Trends in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drugs consumption, Israel, 2005–2012. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2014;23:534–538.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barkley, R.A., Brown, T.E.Unrecognized attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults presenting with other psychiatric disorders. CNS Spectr 2008;13:977–984.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kessler, R.C., Adler, L., Barkley, R.A., Biederman, J., Conners, C.K., Demler, O.et al.The prevalence and correlates of adult ADHD in the United States: results from the national comorbidity survey replication. Am J Psychiatry 2006;163:716–723.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.