A placebo-controlled study of guanfacine in the treatment of children with tic disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of guanfacine in treating children with tic disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

METHOD: Subjects from a specialty tic disorders clinic were randomly assigned to receive 8 weeks of treatment with guanfacine or placebo under double-blind conditions. Follow-up visits occurred every 2 weeks for safety monitoring and dose adjustment.

RESULTS: Thirty-four medication-free subjects (31 boys and three girls with a mean age of 10.4 years) with ADHD, combined type, and a tic disorder participated. After 8 weeks of treatment, guanfacine was associated with a mean improvement of 37% in the total score on the teacher-rated ADHD Rating Scale, compared to 8% improvement for placebo. Nine of 17 subjects who received guanfacine were blindly rated on the Clinical Global Improvement scale as either much improved or very much improved, compared with none of 17 subjects who received placebo. The mean score on the parent-rated hyperactivity index improved by 27% in the guanfacine group and 21% in the placebo group, not a significant difference. On the Continuous Performance Test, commission errors decreased by 22% and omission errors by 17% in the guanfacine group, compared with increases of 29% in commission errors and of 31% in omission errors in the placebo group. Tic severity decreased by 31% in the guanfacine group, compared to 0% in the placebo group. One guanfacine subject with sedation withdrew at week 4. Guanfacine was associated with insignificant decreases in blood pressure and pulse.

CONCLUSIONS: Guanfacine appears to be a safe and effective treatment for children with tic disorders and ADHD.