Studies have pointed out that without treatment, ADHD patients are prone to emotional problems, self-harm, substance abuse and other problems, as well as adverse outcomes such as criminal behavior. The CNS stimulant MPH is the most commonly prescribed drug for the treatment of ADHD in children and adolescents in many countries, as well as in Hong Kong.
The research team recruited 1,410 ADHD patients from 27 child and adolescent mental health centers in the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Hungary over two years. Unique to this program is the world’s first direct comparison of children and adolescents with ADHD taking MPH versus not taking MPH.
The team found no association between long-term MPH use and growth rate, mental or neurological symptoms. Compared with the group taking MPH, although the mean levels of systolic and diastolic blood pressure and pulse rate of those who took MPH for a long time increased to a certain extent, this increase was clinically mild. In previous studies, MPH has been shown to not increase the risk of suicide attempts, all-cause poisoning, and possibly reduce the risk of physical violence.
