Atomoxetine for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents with autism: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Atomoxetine is prescribed to children with autism spectrum disorder having symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. We sought to examine the efficacy and safety of atomoxetine in this population. After screening for inclusion criteria, we identified three randomized placebo controlled trials involving 241 children. We assessed internal validity using standard Cochrane Risk of bias tool for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We used Revman 5.3 for meta-analysis and GRADE approach to create summary of findings with grading of the quality of evidence. Atomoxetine had a benefit on improving parent-rated hyperactivity (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.73, 95% Confidence Interval, CI = -1.15 to -0.34) and parent-rated inattention (SMD = -0.53, 95% CI = -0.93 to -0.12) but the magnitude of effects is uncertain. However, atomoxetine was also associated with increased risk of non-serious adverse effects like nausea and vomiting, decreased sleep, and decreased appetite. Atomoxetine may be effective in improving hyperactivity and inattention in children with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. However, we are uncertain about the true effect of this intervention and need more RCTs trials designed to evaluate this. Autism Research 2019, 12: 542-552. (c) 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.