Bipolar disorder subtypes in children and adolescents: demographic and clinical characteristics from an Australian sample.

Background: Bipolar disorder (BD) phenomenology in children and adolescents remains contentious. The study investigated Australian children and adolescents with bipolar I disorder (BD-I), bipolar II disorder (BD-II), or BD not otherwise specified (BD-NOS).

Methods: Index episode demographics, symptomatology, functioning and diagnostic data were compared for 88 participants (63 female) aged 8-18 years (M=14.

How oppositionality, inattention, and hyperactivity affect response to atomoxetine versus methylphenidate: a pooled meta-analysis.

Objective: To assess how threshold oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), inattention, and hyperactivity-impulsivity affect the response to atomoxetine versus methylphenidate.

Method: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs; ≥6 weeks follow-up). The primary measure was core symptom response-≥40% reduction in ADHD Rating Scale-IV-Parent Version: investigator administered and scored total or domain subscores, as appropriate.

Core ADHD symptom improvement with atomoxetine versus methylphenidate: a direct comparison meta-analysis.

Objective: Previous studies comparing atomoxetine and methylphenidate to treat ADHD symptoms have been equivocal. This noninferiority meta-analysis compared core ADHD symptom response between atomoxetine and methylphenidate in children and adolescents.

Method: Selection criteria included randomized, controlled design; duration 6 weeks; and assessment of ADHD Rating Scale-IV-Parent Version: Investigator Administered and Scored (ADHDRS) scores.

Group therapy for repeated deliberate self-harm in adolescents: failure of replication of a randomized trial.

Objective: To replicate a study, which found group therapy superior to routine care in preventing the recurrence of self-harming behavior in adolescents who had deliberately harmed themselves on at least two occasions.

Method: Single blind study with parallel randomized groups undertaken in three sites in Australia. The primary outcome measure was repetition of self-harm, assessed on average after 6 and 12 months.

Long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the blood of children and adolescents with juvenile bipolar disorder.

Reduced long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCn-3PUFA), including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have been reported in adult patients suffering from depression and bipolar disorder (BD). LCn-3PUFA status has not previously been examined in children and adolescents with BD compared with healthy controls. Fifteen children and adolescents (9-18 years, M +/- SD = 14.

Long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the treatment of psychiatric illnesses in children and adolescents.

Objective: Long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCn-3PUFA) are in increasing use in the general population to treat health problems. The objective of the current article is to review the evidence for the rationale and benefit of LCn-3PUFA in the treatment of common psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents.

Methods: A search of Psychlit, PubMed and Cochrane Databases was conducted using the terms child, adolescent, bipolar, depression, psychosis, first-episode psychosis, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, psychiatric, omega-3, n-3, docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid.

A comparison of North American versus non-North American ADHD study populations.

Few large, prospective clinical studies in Europe have assessed the validity and applicability of research methods used to study ADHD in North America. To assess comparability of study populations, we examined baseline patient characteristics from a group of North American studies against those of a large European/African/Australian study. All studies used identical diagnostic assessments and inclusion criteria, with ADHD diagnosis and the presence of comorbid psychiatric conditions confirmed using the KSADS-PL.

A randomized controlled trial of clonidine added to psychostimulant medication for hyperactive and aggressive children.

Objective: To compare clonidine with placebo added to ongoing psychostimulant therapy for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with comorbid oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder.

Method: Children 6 to 14 years of age recruited through 2000 to 2001 were randomized to receive clonidine syrup 0.10 to 0.

Manic symptoms in young males with ADHD predict functioning but not diagnosis after 6 years.

Objective: To compare the outcome in early adulthood of males who met criteria for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and mania, ADHD alone, or no psychiatric disorder when aged 9-13 years.

Method: Males who met criteria at baseline assessment conducted in the period 1992-1994 for mania+ADHD (n = 15), ADHD without mania (n = 65), or no psychiatric diagnosis (n = 17) were reevaluated after 6 years using computer-assisted structured interviews for Axis I and Axis II disorders, questionnaires about functioning and service utilization, and a clinician-rated assessment of global functioning.

Results: There were no group differences in the prevalence of Axis I or Axis II disorders, with the exception of alcohol abuse, which was higher in controls.

Clinical practice guidelines for depression in young people: are the treatment recommendations outdated?

The 1997 NHMRC clinical practice guidelines for depression in young people included recommendations for treatment that need to be modified in light of more recent research. Changes to the guidelines should include the findings that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and some forms of psychotherapy are effective in treating adolescent depression. It is increasingly recognised that depression in adolescents often recurs and that prevention of recurrences should be a priority for research and practice.

Health-related quality of life of children and adolescents with mental disorders.

Objective: To compare the health-related quality of life (HRQL) between children aged 6-17 years with one of three mental disorders (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, major depressive disorder, or conduct disorder), a physical disorder, and those with none of these disorders.

Method: Parent reports describing the HRQL, mental disorders, and physical disorders of a national sample of 3,597 children and adolescents in Australia, aged 6-17 years (response rate = 70%), were obtained by means of a structured diagnostic interview and questionnaires.

Results: After controlling for age, gender, and family structure, children with mental disorders were reported to have a significantly worse HRQL in several domains than children with no disorder.