ArticlePediatric reports2024
An Evaluation of Whether Routine QTc Interval Screening Is Necessary Prior to Starting ADHD Medications: Experience from a Large Retrospective Study.
Article in Pediatric reports, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Comparison of inflammatory and ECG markers between children/adolescents with ADHD and healthy controls.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
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10 authors.
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No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/
objectivesRoutine screening electrocardiograms (ECGs) prior to starting medications for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) remain controversial. This real-world study assessed corrected QT (QTc) interval data from pediatric patients who had a baseline ECG performed prior to initiating treatment with ADHD medications and ≥6 months of clinical follow-up.
methodsA retrospective chart review of children aged 2-18 years diagnosed with ADHD with/without autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at child neurology clinics in Jordan (June 2019 and June 2021) was performed, and children were prescribed with ADHD medications to manage symptoms. Patients had ≥6 months of follow-up and no known cardiac disease/family history. A baseline ECG and regular clinical exams were performed for each child.
resultsOf 458 patients with baseline ECGs, 362 met the study inclusion criteria. Overall, 286 (79.0%) patients were diagnosed with ASD/comorbid ADHD and 76 (21.0%) with ADHD alone; 61 (16.9%) were prescribed atomoxetine, 38 (10.5%) methylphenidate, 134 (37.0%) risperidone, and 129 (35.6%) aripiprazole. The patients' mean ± SD age was 6.4 ± 3.5 years, and most were male (n = 268, 74.0%). The mean baseline QTc interval was 400 ± 22 ms (median, 400 ms); one patient had a QTc interval >460 ms and was excluded from initiating treatment with any ADHD medications. During the ≥6-month follow-up, none of the patients had any signs or symptoms of adverse cardiac effects.
conclusionsRoutine screening ECGs prior to treatment with ADHD medications may not be necessary in healthy children with no family history of cardiac disease. However, further studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effects of ADHD medications in low-risk pediatric patients.
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