Methylphenidate and Sleep Difficulties in Children and Adolescents With ADHD: Results From the 2-Year Naturalistic Pharmacovigilance ADDUCE Study

Hage A.;Man K. K. C.;Inglis S. K.;Buitelaar J.;Carucci S.

Writing - Review & Editing

;Danckaerts M.;Dittmann R. W.;Falissard B.;Garas P.;Hollis C.;Konrad K.;Kovshoff H.;Liddle E.;McCarthy S.;Neubert A.;Nagy P.;Rosenthal E.;Sonuga-Barke E. J. S.;Zuddas A.;Wong I. C. K.;Coghill D.;Banaschewski T.

2024-01-01

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Abstract

Objective: Short-term RCTs have demonstrated that MPH-treatment significantly reduces ADHD-symptoms, but is also associated with adverse events, including sleep problems. However, data on long-term effects of MPH on sleep remain limited. Methods: We performed a 2-year naturalistic prospective pharmacovigilance multicentre study. Participants were recruited into three groups: ADHD patients intending to start MPH-treatment (MPH-group), those not intending to use ADHD-medication (no-MPH-group), and a non-ADHD control-group. Sleep problems were assessed with the Children’s-Sleep-Habits-Questionnaire (CSHQ). Results: 1,410 participants were enrolled. Baseline mean CSHQ-total-sleep-scores could be considered clinically significant for the MPH-group and the no-MPH-group, but not for controls. The only group to show a significant increase in any aspect of sleep from baseline to 24-months was the control-group. Comparing the MPH- to the no-MPH-group no differences in total-sleep-score changes were found. Conclusion: Our findings support that sleep-problems are common in ADHD, but don’t suggest significant negative long-term effects of MPH on sleep.