Pharmacological interventions for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents with Tourette disorder: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Abstract

Objective: to evaluate the comparative efficacy of pharmacological interventions for children and adolescents with a dual diagnosis of persistent tic disorders or Tourette disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (TD + ADHD).

Methods: we searched CENTRAL, Embase, PubMed, PsycInfo, Web of Sciences, ClinicalTrials.gov, and WHO ICTRP up to September 2023 to identify double-blinded randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing pharmacological interventions for children and adolescents with TD + ADHD. Outcomes were change in ADHD symptoms (primary) and tics (secondary) severity. Standardized mean difference (SMD) was calculated and pooled in random-effects network meta-analysis. The Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis framework was adopted to determine certainty of evidence.

Results: we included 8 RCTs involving 575 participants. Network meta-analyses demonstrated that α2 agonists (SMD, 95% confidence interval [CI] ADHD: −0.72 [−1.13 to −0.31]; TD: −0.70 [−0.96 to −0.45]) and stimulants + α2 agonists (ADHD: −0.84 [−1.54 to −0.13]; TD: −0.60 [−1.04 to −0.17]) were more efficacious than placebo for ADHD symptoms and tics severity. Stimulants alone were more efficacious than placebo for ADHD symptoms severity only, but they did not worsen tics (ADHD: −0.54 [−1.05 to −0.03]; TD: −0.22 [−0.49 to 0.05]). There were no significant differences between any pairs of medications that were found efficacious against placebo for ADHD symptoms or tics severity. Certainty in the evidence varied from low to very low.

Conclusions: stimulants are efficacious for ADHD symptoms severity and do not increase tics severity in TD + ADHD. α2 agonists are efficacious for both ADHD symptoms and tics severity in TD + ADHD. These findings should inform guidelines and help guide shared decision-making to choose a medication for children with TD + ADHD.

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ORCID for Samuele Cortese: orcid.org/0000-0001-5877-8075

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