title: Does stimulant pretreatment modify atomoxetine effects on core symptoms of ADHD in children assessed by quantitative measurement technology?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the reduction of ADHD symptoms under atomoxetine (ATX) in patients with and without pretreatment with a stimulant medication using a computer-based Continuous Performance Test (cb-CPT) combined with an infrared motion tracking (MT) device.
  
  
  METHODS
  Double-blind, placebo-controlled study in ADHD patients (6-12 years) treated with ATX (target dose = 1.2 mg/kg per day). The cb-CPT/MT scores were analyzed using ANCOVA (last observation carried forward).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patient data (n = 125) suggested a differential ATX treatment effect between pretreated and stimulant-naïve patients in terms of three cb-CPT/MT parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This secondary analysis provided evidence that ATX reduced ADHD symptom severity measured by cb-CPT/MT parameters regardless of stimulant pretreatment. A few differential effects were seen based on the cb-CPT/MT. However, no clear pattern could be identified and, overall, the observed differences have no larger clinical relevance. The ATX effect in this study seemed to be largely independent of any previous exposure to stimulants.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Wehmeier
authors.forename: Ralf W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Dittmann
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Banaschewski
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schacht
mesh_terms: D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069445:Atomoxetine Hydrochloride; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011437:Propylamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D011437:Propylamines; D000069445:Atomoxetine Hydrochloride