Trajectories of Growth Associated With Long-Term Stimulant Medication in the Multimodal Treatment Study of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

OBJECTIVE: To estimate long-term stimulant treatment associations on standardized height, weight and BMI trajectories from childhood to adulthood in the Multimodal Treatment Study of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (MTA). METHOD: Of 579 children with DSM-IV ADHD-Combined Type at baseline (ages 7.0–9.9 years) and 289 classmates (local normative comparison group, LNCG), 568 and 258 respectively, were assessed 8 times over 16 years (final mean age = 24.7). Parent interview data established subgroups with self-selected Consistent (N=53, 9%), Inconsistent (N=374, 66%), and Negligible (N=141, 25%) stimulant medication use, as well as cases starting stimulants prior to MTA entry (N=211, 39%). Height and weight growth trajectories were calculated for each subgroup. RESULTS: Height z-scores trajectories differed among subgroups (F=2.22, P