title: Anxiety and methylphenidate in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a double-blind placebo-drug trial.
abstract: To examine the relationship between attention and anxiety and the response to methylphenidate in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a total of 57 boys, between the ages of 7-12 years, were assessed for their attention and level of anxiety. Methylphenidate was administered for a week in a randomized double-blind drug/placebo-drug cross-over design. The levels of anxiety were evenly distributed between the inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive types. Anxiety was significantly correlated with the attention as reported by both teachers and parents. The response to methylphenidate was inversely correlated with the reported anxiety level only in boys with the hyperactive/impulsive and combined types. The higher the level of anxiety, the lower level of response to methylphenidate was observed. In the assessment and treatment of children with ADHD, the level of anxiety should be evaluated and taken into account while planning and monitoring treatment regiment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Learning Disabilities, University of Hifa and The Hannah Khoushy Child Development center, Bnai Zion Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Keren
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moshe
authors.forename: Avi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karni
authors.forename: Emanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tirosh
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D008774:Methylphenidate