Efficacy Study of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Children and Adolescents With Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (PAD)

PAD-study: Nutritional Efficacy of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (Omega-3 and Omega-6) in Combination With Zinc and Magnesium Versus Placebo in Children and Adolescents With Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

This study will determine the nutritional efficacy of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) in combination with zinc and magnesium, in children and adolescents diagnosed with Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The nutritional efficacy has to be proven in agreement with the German "Verordnung über Diätetische Lebensmittel (DiätV)" and the corresponding European Directive 1999/21/EC. This objective is reached by performing a placebo-controlled supplementation study with a main efficacy criterion which is also being used in pivotal studies of stimulant and non-stimulant drugs, i.e. the treatment differences between final visit and baseline in the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale, Parent Version IV (ADHDRS-IV).

Study Overview

• Status: Terminated
• Conditions: ADHD
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: ω-3 fatty acids suspension; Dietary supplement: placebo suspension

Detailed Description

The syndrome of ADHD affects 5-6% of the children and adolescents worldwide. The hallmarks are inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. Due to parent's fear of significant adverse effects caused by stimulant or non-stimulant therapy a high degree of children with ADHD remains untreated. Recent observational studies showed that ADHD is often associated with decreased nutritional status of certain PUFAs, zinc and magnesium which might be due to metabolic disturbances in the case of fatty acids. First interventional studies revealed that a supplementation of these nutrients may affect ADHD-related disorders and might improve certain clinical parameters, such as concentration.

Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either a nutritional supplement or placebo once a day for the duration of 84 days. Participants will come in for the assessment of ADHD symptoms, compliance and the assessment of secondary outcome variables. Side effects will be monitored continuously and also assessed by rating scales.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 284
• Phase: Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Germany
  • Bad Neuenahr, Germany, D 53474
    • DRK Fachklinik für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie, Psychotherapie, Psychosomatik
  • Berlin, Germany, D 13353
    • Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, CVK Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie des Kindes- und Jugendalters
  • Mainz, Germany, D 55131
    • University Medicine Mainz
  • Maulbronn, Germany, D 75433
    • Kinderzentrum Maulbronn gGmbH
  • Neuwied, Germany, D 56564
    • Johanniter - Zentrum für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie Neuwied

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 2 years to 13 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Written Informed Consent by parents and patients (separately for age groups 6 - 11 years and 12 - 17 years)
• Children and adolescents of both gender in the age group between 6 and 17 years
• Confirmed diagnosis of ADHD by semi-structured clinical interview Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for school-age children (K-SADS)
• ADHDRS-IV-Parent Version (18-Item-Scale): Investigator Administered and Scored ≥24
• Sufficient knowledge of the German language

Exclusion Criteria:

• Known hypersensitivity against components of either the verum or placebo food
• All serious internal diseases
• All severe psychiatric diseases except oppositional defiant disorders
• Current intake of the following medication: antidepressants and other psychotropic medication
• Recent intake of ω-3 fatty acids supplementation
• Indication for hospitalization
• Suicidality (including suicidal thoughts)
• intelligence quotient < 70
• Previous medication with stimulants within 4 weeks
• Placement in an institution on official or judicial ruling
• Lack of willingness to store and transmit pseudonym data according to German regulations
• Parallel participation in another trial, or less than 4 weeks ago
• Patients foreseeable requiring a primary medication with methylphenidate during the study period of 12 weeks

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Quadruple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: ω-3 fatty acids suspension; 2 bags of Esprico(R) suspension each day. Each 4ml suspension bag includes 400mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), 40mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), 5.4 mg gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), 80 mg magnesium, 5 mg zinc and consists of linseed oil, xylitol, sea fish oil with high portion of omega-3-acids, magnesium citrate, vegetable oil, orange flavour, evening primrose oil, zink gluconate, soya lecithin, citric acid, acesulfame k (E950)	Dietary supplement: ω-3 fatty acids suspension; 2 bags of Esprico(R) suspension given orally once daily in the morning for 84 days; Other Names: Esprico(R) suspension; 2 verum to 1 placebo
Placebo Comparator: placebo suspension; 2 bags of Esprico (R) placebo suspension. Includes no ω-3 fatty acids, no ω-6 fatty acids, no magnesium and no zinc, but other vegetable oils, orange flavor, etc.	Dietary supplement: placebo suspension; suspension to mimic verum Esprico (R) suspension. 2 bags of Esprico(R) placebo suspension given orally once daily in the morning for 84 days

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
ADHDRS - IV	The primary outcome measure for efficacy will be the absolute change in the ADHDRS total score between baseline and day 84 of randomized treatment.	Difference in total score between baseline and end of study, an expected average of 84 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Barkley´s Side Effects Rating Scale	Number of Participants with Adverse Events.	Baseline and each visit, monthly, an expected average of 84 days in total
Montgomery-Åsberg-Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)	Assessment of Symptoms of Depression.	Baseline and each visit, monthly, an expected average of 84 days in total
Continuous Performance Test (CPT)	Differences in Continuous Performance Test.	change from Baseline to end of treatment, an expected average of 84 days
Nutrition protocol	Assessment of diet habits.	baseline
Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale - Parent Report (WFIRS-P)	Assessment of Symptoms of ADHD and to what degree individual's behavior or emotional problems have impacted various clinically relevant domains of functioning.	change from Baseline to end of treatment, an expected average of 84 days
PUFA associated blood parameters	complete fatty acid profile in red blood cells and relevant ratios, e.g. Omega-HS-Index, Plasma-Zinc, Plasma-Copper, Serum-Magnesium, Serum-Ferritin,...	change from Baseline to end of treatment, an expected average of 84 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
• Collaborators: Engelhard Arzneimittel GmbH & Co.KG
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Michael Huss, Prof. Dr., University Medicine, Mainz, Dep. of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Schuchardt JP, Huss M, Stauss-Grabo M, Hahn A. Significance of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) for the development and behaviour of children. Eur J Pediatr. 2010 Feb;169(2):149-64. doi: 10.1007/s00431-009-1035-8. Epub 2009 Aug 12.
• Huss M, Volp A, Stauss-Grabo M. Supplementation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, magnesium and zinc in children seeking medical advice for attention-deficit/hyperactivity problems - an observational cohort study. Lipids Health Dis. 2010 Sep 24;9:105. doi: 10.1186/1476-511X-9-105.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 8, 2011
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 31, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): March 1, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 7, 2011
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 21, 2011
• First Posted (Estimate): April 22, 2011

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): September 20, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 19, 2017
• Last Verified: September 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: ADHD; children; adolescents; Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids; ADHDRS - IV
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
• Other Study ID Numbers: PAD-EA-10-01-067

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: Undecided