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Parents can provide accurate reports
of their children's ADHD symptoms
Finding could help design better
clinical trials
BOSTON - June 7, 2004 - Traditionally, clinical trials of
drugs to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in
children have relied on information provided by teachers to evaluate
treatment success. An article from researchers at MassGeneral
Hospital for Children (MGHC) verifies that parents can be as
accurate as teachers in identifying ADHD symptoms and treatment-related
changes in behavior. The use of parent reports in studies of new
ADHD drugs could get around limitations of teacher-based studies
and give a clearer picture of how ADHD affects children's activities
throughout the day.
"ADHD had been looked on as affecting school time only, so
it was assumed that teachers were the only reliable source of reports,"
says Joseph Biederman, MD, chief of Pediatric Psychopharmacology
at MGHC, who led the study in the June issue of Pediatrics. "But
we now know that ADHD can impact all aspects of a child's life.
In addition, middle school children often have several teachers,
which makes getting comprehensive assessments of behavior from teachers
difficult."
To evaluate the feasibility of using parental reports, the MGHC
researchers reviewed the medical literature to find clinical trials
of ADHD medications that included evaluations from both parents
and teachers. The identified three randomized trials examining either
standard or long-acting medications for pediatric ADHD. In all three
studies, reports from parents were as accurate as those of teachers
in evaluating ADHD symptoms and documenting statistically significant
improvements as a result of treatment.
"Many children are now receiving long-acting medications that
can help improve their symptoms 24 hours a day and seven days a
week," adds Biederman. "Our report shows that parents
can accurately report their children's symptoms and can assess how
the children respond to new medications." Biederman is a professor
of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
The MGHC report was supported by a grant from the National Institute
of Mental Health. Biederman's co-authors are Stephen Faraone, PhD,
Michael Monuteaux, ScD, and Joel Grossbard, all of the MGHC Pediatric
Psychopharmacology Unit.
MassGeneral Hospital for Children, the pediatric service of Massachusetts
General Hospital, is the oldest provider of pediatric services in
Boston. It is consistently listed in the U.S. News and World Report
Annual Guide to America's Best Hospitals and was ranked number 16
in the 2003 edition. Through its growing network of community-based
facilities and pediatricians, the hospital's excellent care is conveniently
accessible to families throughout the region.
Massachusetts General Hospital, established in 1811, is the original
and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. The MGH
conducts the largest hospital-based research program in the United
States, with an annual research budget of more than $400 million
and major research centers in AIDS, cardiovascular research, cancer,
cutaneous biology, medical imaging, neurodegenerative disorders,
transplantation biology and photomedicine. In 1994, MGH and Brigham
and Women's Hospital joined to form Partners HealthCare System,
an integrated health care delivery system comprising the two academic
medical centers, specialty and community hospitals, a network of
physician groups, and nonacute and home health services.
Media Contact: Sue
McGreevey, MGH Public Affairs
Physician Referral Service: 1-800-388-4644
Information about Clinical Trials
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