[Efficacy of clonidine transdermal patch for treatment of Tourette's syndrome in children].
OBJECTIVE
Children with Tourette's syndrome (TS) have a poor treatment compliance due to side effects and inconvenient administration of oral drugs. This study explored the efficacy and safety of clonidine transdermal patch for treating TS in children.


METHODS
A total of 119 children with TS were randomly treated with the clonidine transdermal patch (n=65) or with oral haloperidol (n=54). The therapeutic efficacy was assessed based on the results of the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) 4 weeks after treatment.


RESULTS
The clonidine transdermal patch group showed a higher reduction in the overall tic symptom scores (61.5+/-7.5%) than that in the haloperidol group (41.0+/-6.3%; p<0.05). Clonidine transdermal patch treatment was effective in 53 patients (81.5%) and 36 patients (67.5%) showed effective to oral haloperidol (p>0.05). Mild side effects (decrease of blood pressure and dizziness) were observed in 1 patient in the clonidine transdermal patch group. Mild hypermyotonia, drowsiness or lassitude as side effects occurred in 6 patients in the haloperidol group.


CONCLUSIONS
Clonidine transdermal patch is effective for the treatment of TS in children and its side effects are mild and rare.
Kang
Hua
H
Department of Pediatrics, Shaanxi Province People's Hospital, Xi'an 710068, China.
Zhang
Yue-Fang
YF
Jiao
Fu-Yong
FY
Guo
Xiang-Yang
XY
Gao
Xiao-Min
XM
D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003000:Clonidine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D005879:Tourette Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy
D006220:Haloperidol; D003000:Clonidine