Atomoxetine for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents with bipolar disorders

Children and adolescents with bipolar disorder (BD) have a high incidence of comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In this paper, we report a consecutive case series on 7 patients with pediatric BD and ADHD who were treated with atomoxetine-and all but one were also treated in conjunction with mood stabilizers. All patients were outpatients at the Stanford Pediatric Bipolar Disorders Clinic. Information on patients was collected in a retrospective chart review. All but 1 patient demonstrated significant improvement in symptoms of ADHD. No patients had episodes of hypomania or mania during the treatment period. Adverse effects of atomoxetine treatment included sedation, nausea, and decreased appetite. These cases suggest that atomoxetine may be a safe and effective treatment for ADHD in conjunction with mood stabilizers in children with BD.