Evaluation of the Effect Foquest® on Sleep in Children Aged 6-12 With ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a heterogeneous neurobehavioral disorder characterized by a persistent pattern of developmentally inappropriate inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. It is the most common pediatric neurobiological condition affecting approximately 5-7% of children worldwide. Sleep difficulties, including prolonged sleep onset latency and decreased total sleep time have a significant negative impact on the functioning of children. This may manifest as mood and behavioural disturbances which may even mimic the classic symptoms of ADHD; hyperactivity, poor impulse control, and inattention. This can in turn negatively affect the day to day activities of a child such as social interactions and learning. A meta-analysis in 2015 showed that stimulant medications impair sleep of children and adolescents. Some researchers have argued that stimulant medication may improve sleep. Importantly there appears to be heterogeneity in the effects of stimulant medication on sleep with some people sleeping better and some people worse after taking Foquest®. To date, seven pharmacokinetic studies of FOQUEST and six phase 3 clinical trials have been conducted. FOQUEST has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of ADHD symptoms in double-blind, randomized clinical trials in children (aged 6 to 12), adolescents (aged 12 to 17) and adults (aged 18 or older). However, some clinicians have raised the concern that the extended duration of Foquest, may have a negative impact on sleep. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of Foquest® on sleep, using actigraphy and sleep diaries, in children aged 6-12 compared to baseline on no medication. This study will particularly evaluate the effect of Foquest® on sleep latency and self and parent reported sleep restorative quality. This would be a novel study as there is no objective or subjective data on the effect of the Foquest® on sleep latency and total sleep time in children aged 6-12.