Key Questions on the Long-Term Utility of Methylphenidate in Paediatric Brain Tumour Survivorship

A Retrospective Clinical Case Series

Bibliographic Data

ID15718178
AuthorsAlexander J Hagan (0000-0002-3622-3949, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust), Sarah J Verity (0000-0001-9111-780X, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume11
Issue2
Pages187-187
Publication date2024-02-02
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueChildren (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2227-9067 • E-ISSN: 2227-9067
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/children11020187
PMID38397299
OpenAlexW4391486670
LanguageEN
References cited39

Methylphenidate has an established role in the management of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and attentional deficit secondary to brain injury. Increasingly, methylphenidate is considered for the attentional deficit in paediatric brain tumour survivors. A small number of studies have explored the benefit of methylphenidate in this population; however, studies are of short duration and do not address the impact of medium to long-term use of methylphenidate on intellectual function. We identified six patients who are survivors of a paediatric brain tumour aged 12-18 years with greater than three years of use of methylphenidate for inclusion in a clinical case series. We used this patient cohort to identify key questions to inform a future long-term cohort study. Linear mixed model and reliable change index analyses were performed on the data. Reliable change index analyses showed benefits to working memory ( n = 3), processing speed ( n = 2), and full-scale IQ ( n = 4) performance for some patients. This exploratory case series suggests the potential medium to long-term benefit of methylphenidate in brain tumour survivorship, indicating the need for larger, appropriately powered studies. These patient data, alongside a discussion of learning points from our previously published studies, are used as a conduit for the identification of questions relating to the use of methylphenidate in a paediatric brain tumour

Cohort · Environmental health · Methylphenidate · Population · Psychiatry · Survivorship curve · Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder · Clinical Psychology · Cognitive Functions and Memory · Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders · Medicine · Psychology · Internal Medicine · Pediatrics

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