ADHD treatment well-tolerated in paediatric anxiety

Researchers found small decreases in blood pressure and heart rate in patients treated with guanfacine, and say further clinical testing is needed.

Sad child facing wall

Paediatric anxiety disorders often go untreated and it is estimated that two in five patients do not respond to antidepressants, creating a need for alternative treatment options.

In research published in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology
[1]
(online, 6 February 2017), a team explored the safety and tolerability of extended-release guanfacine, a drug used for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, in 62 children with anxiety disorders aged 6–17 years, compared with 21 children who were randomly assigned a placebo, over 12 weeks.

The researchers observed an improvement in anxiety symptoms in both groups during the study. There were small decreases in blood pressure and heart rate in those treated with guanfacine; however, the safety profile was consistent with previous reports and no new safety signals were detected.

The authors conclude that the findings from this study support further clinical testing of the drug and other anti-adrenergics in paediatric anxiety in a more adequately powered study.

References

[1] Strawn JR, Compton SN, Robertson B et al. Extended release guanfacine in pediatric anxiety disorders: a pilot, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2017; 27: 29-37. doi: 10.1089/cap.2016.0132

Last updated
Citation
Clinical Pharmacist, CP, April 2017, Vol 9, No 4;9(4):DOI:10.1211/PJ.2017.20202457

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