Atomoxetine in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and suicidal ideation

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common psychiatric childhood disorder. The most commonly used drugs in the treatment of ADHD are methylphenidate (MPH) and atomoxetine (ATX); the former of the two is prescribed in USA more than it is in Western Europe. Some of the most important safety concerns about ADHD drug treatment are sudden cardiac death and suicidal behavior. In this study, we present a series of cases of Italian children who had presented suicidal ideation during ADHD pharmacological therapy with ATX.

Data were obtained from the ADHD Italian Register. The data assessed the use of MPH and ATX, which had been prescribed to patients who were aged < 18 years and diagnosed with ADHD. All patients enrolled in the ADHD Italian Register treated with ATX or MPH who experienced suicidal thoughts or thoughts of self-harming were considered and assessed.

We describe the clinical cases of seven Italian children (enrolled in the ADHD Italian Register) treated with ATX and affected by suicidal ideation, self-harming or other similar symptoms. Our results highlighted that all seven patients developed suicidal ideation or intentional self-harming during pharmaceutical treatment with ATX and, particularly, after the dose increase of the drug.

There is a need to improve our knowledge about the efficacy and safety of ATX, MPH and other drugs used in the treatment of ADHD both in children and adults during the post-marketing experience.