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Methylphenidate in children with hyperactivity: review and cost-utility analysis
1ECOHOST, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK. anna.gilmore@lshtm.ac.uk
Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety
|August 14, 2001
Summary
Methylphenidate effectively treats children with hyperkinetic disorder in the short term. This ADHD medication offers reasonable cost-effectiveness, providing benefits within weeks to months.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Psychiatry
- Pharmacoeconomics
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Hyperkinetic disorder, characterized by inattention and hyperactivity, affects numerous children.
- Effective treatment options are crucial for managing childhood behavioral and developmental conditions.
- Understanding the cost-effectiveness of interventions aids healthcare resource allocation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the efficacy of methylphenidate for hyperkinetic disorder in children.
- To determine the cost-effectiveness of methylphenidate treatment from a healthcare perspective.
- To evaluate methylphenidate's impact on Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs).
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature review of randomized controlled trials was conducted.
- Cost utility analysis compared methylphenidate to placebo.
- Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) were estimated using the Index of Health Related Quality of Life.
Main Results:
- Methylphenidate demonstrated benefits over weeks and months in good and medium-quality trials.
- Evidence for long-term effectiveness into adolescence and adulthood is limited.
- Short- and medium-term treatment showed reasonable cost-effectiveness with an estimated cost per QALY of £7,400 to £9,200 (1997 prices).
Conclusions:
- Short-term methylphenidate treatment is effective for children with hyperkinetic disorder.
- The intervention is considered cost-effective for short-term use.
- Further research is needed to clarify long-term treatment outcomes.