title: Prevalence and patterns of methylphenidate use in French children and adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to describe the prevalence and utilization patterns of methylphenidate (MPH) in children and adolescents in France.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a population-based retrospective study in which the cohort consisted of patients for whom data were extracted from the dispensation drug claims database of the national health insurance (NHI) fund for self-employed workers. Annual prevalence of MPH use was evaluated on patients aged 6-18 years who were reimbursed for at least one MPH prescription a year. Between January 2004 and June 2005, features of MPH medication and user profile were described for the "new starters" having a screening period of 1 year without receiving a MPH prescription and a follow-up >or=12 months. Time to interruption of MPH regular use was analysed by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Mean duration of exposure to MPH treatment was computed with the 95% confidence interval (CI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Annual prevalence of MPH per 1000 persons was 1.1 in 2003, 1.5 in 2004 and 1.8 in 2005 (relative increase of 63.5%). New starters (n = 447) received their first MPH prescription through the hospital (65.1%) or through private practitioners (34.9%). The user profiles were: short (16.6%), occasional (33.8%) and regular (49.6%). Among the new starters, the median time to interruption of MPH regular use was 10.2 months (95% CI: 7.9-12.4). The mean duration of exposure to MPH treatment was: occasional (4.9 months, 95% CI: 4.3-5.5) and regular (25.7 months, 95% CI: 24.6-26.8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although there is a low prevalence of MPH use in France, this survey revealed a wide profile of users and heterogeneous use patterns.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Unit, Department of Drug Research and Evaluation, Italian National Institute of Health, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy. anne.knellwolf@iss.it
authors.forename: Anne-Laure
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Knellwolf
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deligne
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiarotti
authors.forename: Guy-Robert
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Auleley
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Palmieri
authors.forename: Claudine Blum
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Boisgard
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Panei
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Autret-Leca
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D007356:Insurance, Pharmaceutical Services; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008774:Methylphenidate