Converting patients from a short-acting methylphenidate

 

Helping to manage parents' expectations

It's helpful for parents to understand that an optimal dose of stimulant treatment is the lowest effective dose, rather than simply the lowest dose (according to the American Academy of Pediatricians [AAP] Guidelines).21

How many children were optimized on CONCERTA®?

In the latest CONCERTA® study, patients were dose-optimized over a period of up to 6 weeks.22

  • On average, 74% of study participants were optimized at a dose of 36 mg or higher
  • 46% of study participants were optimized at 54 mg22

Optimal CONCERTA® dose was considered achieved for study participants with the following criteria22,23

1. ADHD-RS-IV total and subscale scores ≤75th percentile and a CGI-I of "very much improved" or "much improved,"or;

2. A maximum dose of 54 mg/day, or their maximum tolerated dose was reached, and ADHD-RS-IV total and subscale score was >75th percentile, but both total and subscale scores were <85th percentile and a CGI-I of "very much improved" or "much improved"

  • Subjects who had intolerable side effects were permitted one dose reduction and allowed to continue in the study provided they were able to tolerate a minimum dose of 18 mg/day and met a second criterion
  • The maximum dose allowed in the studies was 54 mg/day22