Table 3 GRADE evidence profile: using memantine, donepezil, and galantamine in treating ADHD symptoms
Certainty assessment | Population size | Certainty | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Outcome | Number of studies | Study design | Risk of bias | Imprecision | Inconsistency | Indirectness | Publication bias | ||
Memantine | |||||||||
Memantine significantly improves ADHD symptoms in ADHD patients | 5 | RCT | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | 169 | High |
Memantine significantly improves ADHD symptoms in children | 3 | RCT | NS | S | NS | NS | NS | 95 | Moderate |
Memantine significantly improves ADHD symptoms in adults | 3 | RCT | NS | S | NS | NS | NS | 74 | Moderate |
The side effects of memantine in ADHD patients were not serious and were tolerable (no age range) | 5 | RCT | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | 169 | High |
The side effects of memantine in children ADHD patients were not serious and were tolerable | 3 | RCT | NS | S | NS | NS | NS | 95 | Moderate |
The side effects of memantine in adult ADHD patients were not serious and were tolerable | 3 | RCT | NS | S | NS | NS | NS | 74 | Moderate |
Methylphenidate and memantine are equal in efficacy for treating ADHD symptoms in children | 1 | RCT | NS | S | S | NS | NS | 40 | Very low |
Placebo and memantine are equal in efficacy for controlling ADHD symptoms in adults | 1 | RCT | NS | S | S | NS | NS | 26 | Very low |
Donepezil | |||||||||
Donepezil significantly improves ADHD symptoms (no age range) | 4 | RCT, CS | NS | NS | S | S | NS | 46 | Moderate |
The side effects of donepezil in ADHD patients were not serious and were tolerable (no age range) | 4 | RCT, CS | NS | S | S | NS | NS | 46 | Moderate |
Galantamine | |||||||||
Galantamine does not differ ignificantly from placebo in reducing ADHD symptoms (no age range) | 1 | RCT | NS | S | S | NS | NS | 28 | Very low |
The side effects of galantamine in ADHD patients were not serious and were tolerable (no age range) | 1 | RCT | NS | S | S | NS | NS | 28 | Very low |
Anti-Alzheimer’s medications | |||||||||
Anti-Alzheimer’s medications significantly improve ADHD symptoms | 11 | RCT, CS | NS | NS | S | S | NS | 243 | Moderate |
The side effects of anti-Alzheimer medications in ADHD patients were not serious and were tolerable | 11 | RCT. CS | NS | NS | S | S | NS | 243 | Moderate |