Novel Approach to Stimulant Induced Weight Suppression and Its Impact on Growth

Summary

Previous NIH funded Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) trials in children found that daily stimulant therapy produced sustained growth deficits. However, no federally funded studies have examined the growth suppression associated with modern once a day stimulant medications. Therefore, this study will precisely estimate the risks of stimulant induced growth suppression (SIGS), examine the underlying mechanisms and develop treatments for it. While drug holidays and caloric supplementation are two common treatments for SIGS, there has been little systematic investigation of either. It is unknown if they are effective or feasible. Therefore, using a randomized adaptive design, we will evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of these two practices vs. routine monitoring of growth in 180 prepubertal children with ADHD. An additional 50 subjects will be treated solely with behavioral therapies to evaluate for growth abnormalities associated with ADHD. The study will assess will the risk of SIGS with ER stimulants and the underlying mechanisms while providing evidenced-based treatments for its management.

Timeline

Start

2010-11

Primary completion

2016-04

Completion

2016-04

Publications

• Waxmonsky JG, Pelham WE 3rd, Baweja R, Hale D, Pelham WE Jr. Predictors of Changes in Height, Weight, and Body Mass Index After Initiation of Central Nervous System Stimulants in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. J Pediatr. 2022 Feb;241:115-125.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.09.030. Epub 2021 Sep 25.
• Baweja R, Waschbusch DA, Pelham WE 3rd, Pelham WE Jr, Waxmonsky JG. The Impact of Persistent Irritability on the Medication Treatment of Paediatric Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Front Psychiatry. 2021 Jul 21;12:699687. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.699687. eCollection 2021.
• Waxmonsky JG, Pelham WE 3rd, Campa A, Waschbusch DA, Li T, Marshall R, Babocsai L, Humphery H, Gnagy E, Swanson J, Hanc T, Fallahazad N, Pelham WE Jr. A Randomized Controlled Trial of Interventions for Growth Suppression in Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Treated With Central Nervous System Stimulants. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2020 Dec;59(12):1330-1341. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2019.08.472. Epub 2019 Aug 29.

Drugs

Indications