Kizilca, OzgurBaykal, Saliha2024-10-292024-10-2920232587-0262https://doi.org/10.4274/nkmj.galenos.2023.38257https://search.trdizin.gov.tr/tr/yayin/detay/1175816https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11776/14781Aim: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common childhood psychiatric disorder. Psychostimulant drugs are frequently used in the treatment regimen. The possible cardiac side effects of drugs are of concern. In our study, we aimed to determine possible cardiac autonomic effects with heart rate variability (HRV) in ADHD patients receiving methylphenidate (MPH). Materials and Methods: We used a retrospective pre-post treatment study design to measure the change in HRV parameters in ADHD patients receiving MPH therapy. A total of 49 patients (mean age, 8.3 +/- 2.5 years) diagnosed with ADHAB and 30 sex- and age-matched healthy controls (mean age, 8.2 +/- 2.7 years) were examined. Rhythm Holter recordings were made for the patients before MPH treatment and in the first month of treatment and for the control group, and HRV parameters were evaluated in the computer environment. Results: There was no difference in age, gender, weight and height in the patient and control groups (p>0.05). In the analysis of time-dependent HRV parameters, SDNN, SDANN, which shows the sympathetic influence, and rMSSD, which shows the parasympathetic influence, were statistically significantly lower in the patient group than in the control group (p<0.05). When the patients were compared before and after the treatment, SDANN increased statistically (p<0.05). Besides, SDNN and rMSSD increased after the treatment, although there was no statistical significance (p>0.05). Conclusion: Our study showed that there was increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic activity in HRV parameters in ADHD patients. Both sympathetic and parasympathetic improvement was observed with MPH treatment. Although our study shows that MPH treatment has a curative effect on cardiac autonomic functions, further studies are needed.en10.4274/nkmj.galenos.2023.38257info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessAttention deficit hyperactivity disordermethylphenidateheart rate variabilityArticle1118086N/AWOS:0011867057000081175816