Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate in the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: pharmacokinetics, efficacy and safety in children and adolescents

Background: Psychostimulants (methylphenidate and amphetamines) are considered first-line therapy for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (LDX) is a new psychostimulant approved for the treatment of ADHD in Brazil. The pharmacologically active fraction, d-amphetamine, is gradually released by hydrolysis of the LDX prodrug. Objectives: To perform a systematic review of the literature of the efficacy and safety of LDX in the treatment of ADHD in children and adolescents. Methods: Medline/PubMed searches for "d-amfetamine", "lisdexamfetamine" and "lisdexamfetamine dimesylate" were conducted including articles available from January 2000 to November 2013. Additional references were identified using references listed in those articles. Further data on LDX were requested from its manufacturer. Results: Thirty-one papers were found related to ADHD treatment in children and adolescents. Discussion: The therapeutic benefits of LDX in children with ADHD are achieved as early as 1.5 hours after its administration and last for up to 13 hours, with efficacy comparable or superior to that of other available psychostimulants. The literature also reports efficacy in long-term treatment, with safety and tolerability profiles comparable to those of other stimulants used for the treatment of ADHD. Most of the adverse events associated with LDX are considered to be mild or moderate in severity, with the most common being loss of appetite and insomnia.