A cost analysis of the management of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children in the UK

SUMMARYA decision analysis was performed to model the effects and health economic differences of current UK management approaches to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children aged between 6 and 16 years. The approaches modelled were: medication using a standard immediate-release methylphenidate (MPH-IR) (once, twice or three times daily); medication using CONCERTA®XL (OROS®* methylphenidate; MPH), a long-acting once-daily formulation of methylphenidate; or behavioural therapy (BEH). Starting treatment with BEH alone resulted in the highest annual cost (UK£2,147), while the costs of starting treatment with MPH-IR alone (£1,332), or OROS®* MPH alone (£1,362) were comparable. Treatment switches to behavioural treatment or combined treatment (medication and behavioural) due to treatment failure occurred in 11.8% of OROS®* MPH and 24.2% of MPH-IR patients. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses showed that the results were sensitive towards treatment success and the proportion of patients with co...