Hardy, J. R., Carmont, S. A., O'Shea, A., Vora, R., Schluter, P., Nikles, C. J., . . . Mitchell, G. K. (2010). Pilot study to determine the optimal dose of methylphenidate for an n-of-1 trial for fatigue in patients with cancer. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 13, 1193–1197.
To identify a dose of methylphenidate to test formally in a subsequent N-of-one trial of fatigue.
Patients with fatigue 4/10 or more at baseline received titrated doses of methylphenidate beginning at 5 mg/day up to 15 mg twice daily (BID) at three-day intervals.
Patients were undergoing the transition phase on “stable treatment,” not on chemotherapy.
The study was a prospective trial.
Methylphenidate 5 mg BID was chosen as the ideal dose to test against placebo.
Nurses in research can use a 5-mg BID dose of methylphenidate to test against placebo.