Clinical outcomes of a 12-week, first treatment with methylphenidate in an Italian representative sample of children and adolescents with ADHD
Abstract Current clinical guidelines suggest methylphenidate (MPH) as first-line option for treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, the Lombardy ADHD Registry initiative has recently raised some concerns about discrepant therapeutic approaches between different clinica...
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| Format: | Article |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10684-w |
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| author | Alessandro Crippa Eleonora Rosi Valentina Mauri Angela Valli Maria Nobile Antonio Salandi Sara Trabattoni Massimo Molteni |
| author_facet | Alessandro Crippa Eleonora Rosi Valentina Mauri Angela Valli Maria Nobile Antonio Salandi Sara Trabattoni Massimo Molteni |
| author_sort | Alessandro Crippa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Current clinical guidelines suggest methylphenidate (MPH) as first-line option for treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, the Lombardy ADHD Registry initiative has recently raised some concerns about discrepant therapeutic approaches between different clinical centers. In this naturalistic observational study, we report the experience of a third-level referral center in monitoring care services for young ADHD patients. We described the clinical characteristics of the children/adolescents who were diagnosed with ADHD from 2017 and prescribed or not with MPH. We further followed-up ADHD patients who were taking MPH for 12 weeks to assess any clinical amelioration using the Clinical Global Impression—Severity scale, controlling for other outcome predictors. One fourth of patients received a MPH prescription after the ADHD diagnosis. Those children/adolescents showed more complex clinical manifestations, with greater ADHD difficulties and neuropsychiatric comorbidities. ADHD patients displayed significant improvements of functioning after 12 weeks of the initiation of MPH use, but not after 4 weeks. IQ level and the presence of co-occurring autism predicted ADHD severity at baseline. After controlling for other predictors’ effect, the severity at the first visit predicted ADHD severity after 4 weeks of MPH use, which in turn predicted the clinical functioning at the 12-week visit. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-208280a0caaa48d38e6f4e4ff3ddc3db |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-208280a0caaa48d38e6f4e4ff3ddc3db2025-08-20T03:46:08ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-011511910.1038/s41598-025-10684-wClinical outcomes of a 12-week, first treatment with methylphenidate in an Italian representative sample of children and adolescents with ADHDAlessandro Crippa0Eleonora Rosi1Valentina Mauri2Angela Valli3Maria Nobile4Antonio Salandi5Sara Trabattoni6Massimo Molteni7Child Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio MedeaChild Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio MedeaChild Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio MedeaChild Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio MedeaChild Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio MedeaChild Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio MedeaChild Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio MedeaChild Psychopathology Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio MedeaAbstract Current clinical guidelines suggest methylphenidate (MPH) as first-line option for treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, the Lombardy ADHD Registry initiative has recently raised some concerns about discrepant therapeutic approaches between different clinical centers. In this naturalistic observational study, we report the experience of a third-level referral center in monitoring care services for young ADHD patients. We described the clinical characteristics of the children/adolescents who were diagnosed with ADHD from 2017 and prescribed or not with MPH. We further followed-up ADHD patients who were taking MPH for 12 weeks to assess any clinical amelioration using the Clinical Global Impression—Severity scale, controlling for other outcome predictors. One fourth of patients received a MPH prescription after the ADHD diagnosis. Those children/adolescents showed more complex clinical manifestations, with greater ADHD difficulties and neuropsychiatric comorbidities. ADHD patients displayed significant improvements of functioning after 12 weeks of the initiation of MPH use, but not after 4 weeks. IQ level and the presence of co-occurring autism predicted ADHD severity at baseline. After controlling for other predictors’ effect, the severity at the first visit predicted ADHD severity after 4 weeks of MPH use, which in turn predicted the clinical functioning at the 12-week visit.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10684-wAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorderAutism spectrum disordersComorbidityMethylphenidateChildhoodAdolescents |
| spellingShingle | Alessandro Crippa Eleonora Rosi Valentina Mauri Angela Valli Maria Nobile Antonio Salandi Sara Trabattoni Massimo Molteni Clinical outcomes of a 12-week, first treatment with methylphenidate in an Italian representative sample of children and adolescents with ADHD Scientific Reports Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder Autism spectrum disorders Comorbidity Methylphenidate Childhood Adolescents |
| title | Clinical outcomes of a 12-week, first treatment with methylphenidate in an Italian representative sample of children and adolescents with ADHD |
| title_full | Clinical outcomes of a 12-week, first treatment with methylphenidate in an Italian representative sample of children and adolescents with ADHD |
| title_fullStr | Clinical outcomes of a 12-week, first treatment with methylphenidate in an Italian representative sample of children and adolescents with ADHD |
| title_full_unstemmed | Clinical outcomes of a 12-week, first treatment with methylphenidate in an Italian representative sample of children and adolescents with ADHD |
| title_short | Clinical outcomes of a 12-week, first treatment with methylphenidate in an Italian representative sample of children and adolescents with ADHD |
| title_sort | clinical outcomes of a 12 week first treatment with methylphenidate in an italian representative sample of children and adolescents with adhd |
| topic | Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder Autism spectrum disorders Comorbidity Methylphenidate Childhood Adolescents |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10684-w |
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