title: Effect of methylphenidate on height and weight in Korean children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a retrospective chart review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of methylphenidate (MPH) on growth in Korean children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of 157 subjects (mean age 8.9±2.2 years; 134 boys) with ADHD who received treatment with MPH for at least 1 year at the Department of Psychiatry at Asan Medical Center were retrospectively reviewed. Height and weight were prospectively obtained and retrospectively gathered. Height and weight were converted to age- and gender-corrected standard scores (z scores) using norms from the Korean population. Growth changes were analyzed from the starting to the end of treatment using random coefficients models with change in weight or height z score as the dependent variable.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Weight (β = -0.109, p<0.001) and height (β = -0.072, p<0.001) z scores significantly decreased during treatment. Weight z score decreased more in girls (β = -0.247, p<0.001) than in boys (β = -0.090, p<0.001). Weight z score decreased during the 1st year of medication (β = -0.327, p<0.001 for boys; β = -0.646, p<0.001 for girls), and did not change or increase after the 1st year. Height z score significantly decreased during treatment (β = -0.072, p<0.001) after controlling for the effect of age at treatment, gender, mean daily mg/kg dose, and comorbid depressive disorder. Height z score also decreased during the 1st year of medication (β = -0.089, p<0.001) but did not change after the 1st year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that MPH could be related to weight and height deficit in Korean children and adolescents, although the effects were minor, and disappeared after the 1st year. Because of the limitations of this study such as retrospective design, selection bias, and high attrition rate, further prospective studies are needed.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine , Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo-Won
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seon-Ok
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seunghyun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shon
authors.forename: Jung-Sun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyun-Jeong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jin-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008774:Methylphenidate