EFFICACY OF ATOMOXETINE TREATMENT IN CHILDREN WITH ADHD AND EPILEPSY

Objectives: ADHD is very common problem in pediatric patients with epilepsy. A little research has been realized in this population. Atomoxetine is a new ADHD medication with great success for the treatment of this childrens. The present study evaluates the efficacy and safety of atomoxetine in pediatric epileptic patients.

Methods: Study subjects were patients, 6 to 15 years old, who meet DSM-IV criteria for ADHD and had concurrent epileptic seizures. The children patient (N=17) were given open-label treatment with atomoxetine (maximum doses to 1.8 mgkgday, starting 0.5 mgkgday). Response was evaluated using the Conner's parents ADHD scale and the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) score to examine efficacy, and with a adverse effects chart for secondary side effects, include number of seizures and serum levels of antiepileptic drugs. The evaluation was made after 1, 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment.

Results: Significant symptom improvement was noted acutely and maintained though the duration of treatment. There was a significant dose response (1.2 mgkgday) in Conner's and CGI after up to three weeks of treatment. In addition, only in one patient increase the number of epileptic seizures during the first two weeks of treatment, without modification of serum levels of antiepileptic drugs. The most frequent side effects for atomoxetine was sedation, loss of apetite and nausea.

Conclusion: In this open clinical trial, atomoxetine appears to be an effective and safety treatment for ADHD in pediatric patients with epilepsy. This can improve the global rehabilitation of the pediatric epileptic patients.