Patients with comorbid autism and ADHD can safely take ADHD medication

Patients with autism spectrum disorder and co-occurring ADHD can safely and effectively take medication for ADHD, according to a study conducted in the Netherlands and published in Journal of Attention Disorders.

“In contrast to the recommendation of the Dutch guideline to ‘start low and go slow,’ the present findings suggest that patients with ADHD and ASD do not require lower optimal doses, more time to reach optimal dosage, or experience more side effects of medication when compared to patients without ASD,” J.J. Muit, of the department of psychiatry at Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands, and colleagues wrote. “According to these results no additional prescription precaution appears to be required.”

Current Dutch guidelines recommend methylphenidate, dexamphetamine, atomoxetine or bupropion as treatments for ADHD. A 2018 guideline from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended pharmacological treatment for ADHD and comorbid ASD, but little evidence exists on the effectiveness and safety of ADHD medication on patients with these two conditions.

To address this gap, Muit and colleagues selected 60 adults with ADHD and comorbid ASD from an outpatient clinic and compared treatment outcomes of similar regimens with 226 adults from the same clinic with only ADHD. The researchers reported significant decreases in ADHD symptoms among both groups — 24.6% on the ADHD-index for the ADHD plus ASD group and 31.3% for the ADHD-only group. An ASD diagnosis did not affect ADHD symptom reductions. They also reported no significant group differences in vital signs or side effects.

“In the future, a randomized controlled trial should be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and possible side effects of pharmacological treatment for ADHD in patients with ASD more reliably,” the researchers wrote. – by Joe Gramigna

Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.