title: [Clinical effect of atomoxetine hydrochloride in 66 children with narcolepsy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the efficacy and safety of atomoxetine hydrochloride in children with narcolepsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Totally 66 patients with narcolepsy who were conformed international classification of sleep disturbances (ICSD-2) diagnostic criteria treated with atomoxetine hydrochloride seen from November 2010 to December 2014 were enrolled into this study, 42 of them were male and 24 female, mean age of onset was 7.5 years (3.75-13.00 years), mean duration before diagnosis was 1.75 years (0.25-5.00 years). Complete blood count, liver and kidney function, multiple sleep latency test (MSLT), polysomnography (PGS), neuroimaging and electroencephalography (EEG) were performed for each patient. For some of the children HLA-DR2 gene and serum markers of infection were tested. The 66 cases were followed up from 2 to 49 months (average 18 months) to observe the clinical efficacy and adverse reactions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 62 cases excessive daytime sleepiness was improved, in 11 cases (16.7%) it was controlled (16.7%), in 29 cases (43.9%) the treatment was obviously effective and in 22 (33.3%) it was effective; cataplexy occurred in 54 cases, in 18 (33.3%) it was controlled, in 19 (35.2%) the treatment was obviously effective and in 10 (18.5%) effective; night sleep disorders existed in 55 cases, in 47 cases it was improved, in 14 (25.5%) it was controlled, in 20 (36.4%) the treatment was obviously effective and in 13 (23.6%) effective; hypnagogic or hypnopompic hallucination was present in 13 cases, in only 4 these symptoms were controlled. Sleep paralysis existed in 4 cases, it was controlled in only 1 case. In 18 cases attention and learning efficiency improved.Anorexia occurred in 18 cases, mood disorder in 5 cases, depression in 2 cases, nocturia, muscle tremors, involuntary tongue movement each occurred in 1 case. P-R interval prolongation and atrial premature contraction were found in 1 case.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Atomoxetine hydrochloride showed good effects in patients with narcolepsy on excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy and night sleep disorders, the effects on hallucinations and sleep paralysis were not significant. Adverse reactions were slight, anorexia and mood disorder were common. As a non-central nervous system stimulant, atomoxetine hydrochloride does not induce drug dependence and has no prescription limits; it has good tolerability, safety and effectiveness, it can be a good alternative in treatment of children with narcolepsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100045, China.
authors.forename: Shen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100045, China; Email: dingchanghong@medmail.com.cn.
authors.forename: Changhong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100045, China.
authors.forename: Husheng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100045, China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100045, China.
authors.forename: Xiaohui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100045, China.
authors.forename: Xiaotun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ren
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000069445:Atomoxetine Hydrochloride / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002385:Cataplexy / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009290:Narcolepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D059906:Neuroimaging; D017286:Polysomnography
chemical_list: D000069445:Atomoxetine Hydrochloride