ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Minerva Psichiatrica 2019 September;60(3):129-36

DOI: 10.23736/S0391-1772.19.02020-X

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

The effect of combination of pramipexole and methylphenidate in the treatment of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Ashraf TASHAKORI ¹, Forough RIAHI ¹ ✉, Zohre KHOZUEY ²

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Golestan Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; ² Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

BACKGROUND: In this article we studied for three months the effect of combination of pramipexole and methylphenidate in the treatment of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
METHODS: In this double-blind randomized clinical trial study, 30 children who suffered from ADHD have been selected among the patients referred to the psychiatric clinic of Ahvaz Golestan Hospital. The patients were randomly assigned in the case study group (methylphenidate and pramipexole) and control group (methylphenidate and, placebo), Participants were examined before the start of treatment, and after six, eight, ten, and twelve weeks from the start of the treatment by the parent’s Conners questionnaire.
RESULTS: The mean age of patients were 8.47±2.08 years. The mean of the final Conners Score for case and control group, respectively, in week 0 was 68.53±16.10 vs. 62.73±16.85 p>0.05, and in week 12 was 19.69±7.27 vs. 35.23±10.22 (P<0.001). In weeks 6, 8, 10 and 12 (all weeks of evaluation), subtests of conduct problems, social problems, psychological problems, and shy anxiety, and also the final Conners Score of the case group were significantly lower in than to the control group (P<0.05), the mean of Clinical Global Impression (CGI) of the case group showed a significant statistical difference in comparison to the control group (P<0.05). In weeks 0, 6, 8, 10 and 12 (all weeks of evaluation). But the mean of Children Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) of the case group was significantly lower than that of the control group just in week 10 and 12 (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Combination of pramipexole and methylphenidate is probably more effective than methylphenidate alone in treating the ADHD disorder from first week of evaluation to week 6. But after six-week treatment, pramipexole just maintains the Conner Score in low scores and the more reduction is not significant.

KEY WORDS: Attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity; Pramipexole; Methylphenidate; Surveys and questionnaires