Remission versus response as the goal of therapy in ADHD: a new standard for the field?

Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has a substantial negative impact; however, within long-term follow-up studies, a proportion of patients do very well, both symptomatically and functionally, suggesting that the lower the symptom burden, the greater the functional improvements. Studies in major depressive disorder have identified a relationship between symptomatic remission and restoration of normal functioning.

Objective: The purpose of this article was to propose a definition of remission in ADHD, review remission rates in clinical trials for commonly used medications, and explore the relationship between symptomatic remission and optimal functioning.