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Race/ethnicity and insurance status as factors associated with ADHD treatment patterns.

Using data from the 1997-2000 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), disparities in different stages of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) health care were investigated, from initial detection to follow-up physician visits and psychotherapy appointments. Differences in ADHD diagnoses, stimulant usage, and health-care visits were examined by age, race/ethnicity, region, and type of insurance. Major significant findings were: (1) children without insurance had lower levels of care in all stages relative to children with insurance, (2) Hispanic-American and African-American children were less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD by parent report than were white American children, and (3) African-American youths with ADHD were less likely to initiate stimulant medication relative to white American children. Implications for expanding childhood health insurance coverage, and for future work on minority mental health care in regard to ADHD, are discussed.

Adolescent↗

Brief report: cognitive functioning in children with Tourette's syndrome with and without comorbid ADHD.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether patients with Tourette's syndrome (TS) with and without comorbid attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) differ in cognitive functioning and whether a higher level of cognitive functioning is associated with severity of TS symptoms and psychosocial functioning. METHODS: Cognitive functioning, symptom severity, and psychosocial functioning were examined in 40 patients (33 boys, 7 girls; age range 6-18 years) with TS, of whom 17 had the comorbid diagnosis of ADHD. RESULTS: Patients with a comorbid ADHD diagnosis evidenced poorer performance than those with TS alone with respect to severity of TS symptoms, psychosocial functioning, verbal and performance intelligence, and word fluency, but not on tests of cognitive flexibility. Psychosocial functioning was predicted by symptom severity, but not by intelligence or fluency. CONCLUSIONS: Results confirm prior findings that comorbid ADHD is associated with more TS symptoms and worse psychosocial and cognitive functioning, and motivate whether cognitive flexibility plays a role in moderating the deleterious psychosocial effects of Tourette's syndrome and ADHD.

Adolescent↗

The response of aggressive and nonaggressive ADHD children to two doses of methylphenidate.

Differences between 37 aggressive and 37 nonaggressive children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were evaluated as was their response to two doses of methylphenidate (0.3 and 0.5 mg/kg) using a multimethod battery of behavior ratings, laboratory tests, and direct observations. Aggressive ADHD children differed little from nonaggressive ADHD children except that nonaggressives displayed more problems with inattentiveness at school than aggressives while mothers of aggressives reported more symptoms of psychopathology in themselves than mothers of nonaggressives. In their drug responding, aggressives and nonaggressives were quite similar. The few exceptions were on measures of conduct, on which the aggressives were initially rated as more extreme and subsequently showed the greater degree of improvement from medication than nonaggressives. Results replicated those of a previous study and further indicate that aggressive and nonaggressive ADHD children share a common disorder of ADHD but aggressives have more impaired family situations.

Adolescent↗

Effect of anxiety on cognition, behavior, and stimulant response in ADHD.

The effect of the comorbidity of overanxious disorder (ANX) in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on laboratory measures of behavior, cognition, and stimulant response was examined. Seventy-nine children who met DSM-III-R criteria for ADHD were tested further for an oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), conduct disorder (CD), or ANX. Subjects with comorbid ANX showed less impulsiveness on a laboratory measure of behavior and had longer, sluggish reaction times on the Memory Scanning Test than those without ANX. ADHD subjects with comorbid ANX were less frequently diagnosed as CD. Forty-three of the subjects completed a double-blind trial of methylphenidate; subjects with comorbid anxiety had a significantly poorer response to the stimulant than those without anxiety, while the comorbidity of ODD or CD did not affect stimulant response. The results suggest that ADHD with comorbid ANX may represent children with primary anxiety who develop secondary inattentiveness, or they may represent a different subtype of ADHD, perhaps similar to the condition of attention deficit disorder without hyperactivity under DSM-III.

Anxiety Disorders↗

Nortriptyline in the treatment of ADHD: a chart review of 58 cases.

OBJECTIVE: The potential benefit of the tricyclic antidepressant medication, nortriptyline (NT), in the treatment of children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was evaluated. METHOD: A systematic search was conducted from a computerized data base of all clinic patients in an outpatient pediatric psychopharmacology unit treated with NT for ADHD. The records of the 58 subjects identified (37 children and 21 adolescents) were reviewed for overall response, dose, serum levels, and adverse effects. RESULTS: Ninety-seven percent of the identified subjects had failed to respond to an average of four previous medication trials, 84% had at least one comorbid diagnosis with ADHD, and 47% were receiving at least one concurrent medication. NT doses ranged from 0.4 to 4.5 mg/kg (X +/- SD = 2.0 +/- 1.0 mg/kg) and subjects received NT from 0.4 to 57.9 months (11.9 +/- 14.0 months). Overall, 76% of subjects were considered to have a moderate to marked improvement by an independent rater, which was corroborated by their clinicians. There was no association between response and age, rate of comorbidity, number of previous medication trials, or concurrent pharmacotherapy (all p NS). Although there were no overall differences in serum NT levels between responders and nonresponders, significantly more patients within the suggested therapeutic range in adults of 50 to 150 ng/ml were classified as "markedly improved" than those outside this range (68% versus 35%, p < 0.03). Mild adverse effects were reported in 20 subjects (34%). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that NT may be an effective well-tolerated agent for ADHD children and adolescents. Additional controlled investigations utilizing NT for ADHD should be undertaken.

Adolescent↗

Response of children with ADHD to methylphenidate: interaction with internalizing symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine differences in methylphenidate (MPH) response between groups of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who exhibited varying degrees of internalizing symptoms. METHOD: A sample of 40 children with ADHD was subdivided into three groups based on the severity of comorbid internalizing symptoms. Differential effects of three doses of MPH (5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg) were evaluated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled fashion using multiple outcome measures across home, school, and clinic settings. RESULTS: Children with ADHD and comorbid internalizing symptoms were significantly less likely to respond positively to MPH than were their noninternalizing counterparts according to teacher ratings and behavioral observations during a clinic-based academic task. CONCLUSIONS: Children who exhibit comorbid symptoms of ADHD and internalizing disorder are less likely to respond to MPH in classroom settings and on academic tasks. A significant minority of children with comorbid conditions may be at a higher risk for an adverse medication response relative to patients with ADHD who are not exhibiting internalizing symptoms. Further research is necessary to delineate the characteristics of possible adverse responders.

Achievement↗

Validity of DSM-IV ADHD predominantly inattentive and combined types: relationship to previous DSM diagnoses/subtype differences.

UNLABELLED: Since 1980, three different diagnostic nomenclatures have been published regarding attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These changing conceptualizations and diagnostic criteria have generated considerable confusion. OBJECTIVE: To examine the multidimensional DSM-IV ADHD criteria in relation to how children and adolescents with a previous DSM-III ADD diagnosis or a DSM-III-R ADHD diagnosis are diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria. METHOD: Children whose original diagnoses were according to DSM-III and DSM-III-R criteria received retrospective diagnoses according to DSM-IV criteria. RESULTS: Predominantly inattentive (n = 30) and combined types (n = 26) were compared on their previous DSM-III and DSM-III-R diagnoses and on demographic, behavioral, cognitive, and comorbidity variables. Predominantly inattentive and combined type diagnoses corresponded with DSM-III ADD/WO and ADD/H diagnoses, respectively. The DSM-III-R ADHD diagnosis did not correspond with either DSM-IV subtype. Children with the combined type diagnosis had more externalizing codiagnoses, and their parents reported more externalizing, delinquent, and aggressive behaviors. Children with the predominantly inattentive type had more math learning disability codiagnoses. CONCLUSION: Results support a multidimensional conceptualization of ADHD. There exists close correspondence between the DSM-III ADD/WO type and the DSM-IV predominantly inattentive type and between the DSM-III ADD/H type and the DSM-IV combined type.

Achievement↗

Is childhood oppositional defiant disorder a precursor to adolescent conduct disorder? Findings from a four-year follow-up study of children with ADHD.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the overlap between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), addressing whether ODD is subsyndromal form of conduct disorder (CD) and, if so, whether it is a precursor or prodrome syndrome of CD. METHOD: Assessments from multiple domains were used to examine 140 children with ADHD and 120 normal controls at baseline and 4 years later. RESULTS: Of children who had ADHD at baseline, 65% had comorbid ODD and 22% had CD. Among those with ODD, 32% had comorbid CD. All but one child with CD also had ODD that preceded the onset of CD by several years. ODD+CD children had more severe symptoms of ODD, more comorbid psychiatric disorders, lower Global Assessment of Functioning Scale scores, more bipolar disorder, and more abnormal Child Behavior Checklist clinical scale scores compared with ADHD children with non-CD ODD and those without ODD or CD. In addition, ODD without CD at baseline assessment in childhood did not increase the risk for CD at the 4-year follow-up, by midadolescence. CONCLUSIONS: Two subtypes of ODD associated with ADHD were identified: one that is prodromal to CD and another that is subsyndromal to CD but not likely to progress into CD in later years. These ODD subtypes have different correlates, course, and outcome.

Adolescent↗

Children with ADHD and tic disorder and their classmates: behavioral normalization with methylphenidate.

OBJECTIVES: To examine behavioral differences between children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and tics and their peers and the extent to which methylphenidate (0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 mg/kg) normalized the behavior of probands and indirectly influenced the behavior of peers (treatment spillover). METHOD: Thirty-four prepubertal children with ADHD and chronic tic disorder (who were participating in a double-blind, placebo-controlled methylphenidate evaluation) and their peers were observed for approximately 20 hours in the school setting (classroom seatwork activities, lunchroom, and playground). RESULTS: Children with ADHD and tics were more inattentive and more disruptive in the classroom and more aggressive in all school settings than their peers. Although treatment with methylphenidate made probands less easily distinguished from their peers (normalization), many children still scored in the deviant range for at least one ADHD behavior when receiving the 0.5-mg/kg dose. There was little evidence that peer behavior improved as a function of the proband's dose of medication. CONCLUSIONS: Although conventional doses of methylphenidate produced dramatic clinical improvement in ADHD-related behavior, complete behavioral normalization is often not attained.

Analysis of Variance↗

Is comorbidity with ADHD a marker for juvenile-onset mania?

OBJECTIVE: To compare the characteristics and correlates of mania in referred adolescents and to determine whether attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a marker of very early onset mania. METHOD: From 637 consecutive admissions, 68 children (< or = 12 years) and 42 adolescents (> 13 years) who satisfied criteria for mania were recruited. These were compared with the 527 nonmanic referrals and 100 normal controls. RESULTS: With the exception of comorbidity with ADHD, there were more similarities than differences between the children and adolescents with mania in course and correlates. There was an inverse relationship between the rates of comorbid ADHD and age of onset of mania: higher in manic children intermediate in adolescents with childhood-onset mania, and lower in adolescents with adolescent-onset mania. CONCLUSIONS: ADHD is more common in childhood-onset compared with adolescent-onset cases of bipolar disorder, suggesting that in some cases, ADHD may signal a very early onset of bipolar disorder. Clinical similarities between the child- and adolescent-onset cases provide evidence for the clinical validity of childhood-onset mania.

Adolescent↗

Variations in ADHD treatment among special education students.

OBJECTIVE: To examine variation in patient characteristics (case-mix) and treatment patterns for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by provider type. METHOD: By means of a two-stage study design, 102 children were identified as receiving treatment for ADHD in the past year, among a school district-wide sample of second-through fourth-grade special education students. Parent and child interviews were conducted using standardized measures of need for treatment, service use, and process of care. RESULTS: Nearly three fourths of the children received treatment for ADHD by a primary care provider, and of these, 68% did not have any contact with a mental health specialist. Children treated only by a primary care provider had fewer comorbid conditions, less impairment, and lower levels of family burden than children treated only by a mental health specialist. Treatment of ADHD solely by primary care providers was characterized by fewer sessions, less time with the patient, and less use of multimodal therapies. CONCLUSION: Future studies examining clinical outcomes for ADHD treatment should take into account variation in case-mix and treatment patterns by provider type.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗

Associations between event-related potentials and measures of attention and inhibition in the Continuous Performance Task in children with ADHD and normal controls.

OBJECTIVES: First, to differentiate between inattention and impulsivity based on type of errors made in the AX version of the Continuous Performance Task (CPT), and second, to investigate whether differences in performance between children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and normal controls also occur in specific forms of brain activity, namely event-related potentials (ERPs), presumably related to inattention and impulsivity or inhibition. METHOD: Sixteen ADHD and 16 normal control children performed the CPT-AX. ERPs were recorded at occipital (Oz), parietal (Pz), central (Cz), and frontal (Fz) leads. RESULTS: The ADHD children had a higher CPT-Inattention score and showed smaller parietal positive waves at a latency of approximately 300 msec in reaction to target stimuli, target P3s, likewise indicating less attention. In contrast, they showed neither higher CPT-Impulsivity nor a smaller frontocentral negative wave at about 200 msec (N2); the N2 is generally seen as reflecting inhibition. A subgroup of children with ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder (n = 6) had smaller N2 waves than controls, however. CONCLUSIONS: The ADHD group studied showed deficits in attention but not in impulsivity (or inhibition).

Adolescent↗

Mother and teacher reports of ADHD symptoms: DSM-IV Questionnaire data.

OBJECTIVE: Diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is thought to be best accomplished by a multimodal approach. In many research and clinical settings, such extensive procedures may not be feasible. A screening instrument that could identify children meeting necessary (but not sufficient) criteria would permit selection of subgroups for more resource-intensive diagnostic procedures. METHOD: The Diagnostic Rating Scale (DRS) was completed by the mothers and teachers of 124 children referred to hospital-based clinics and 225 nonreferred children. The authors performed principal components analysis (PCA) on the questionnaire, compared the scores obtained by children from the 2 samples, and examined age and gender effects. Diagnoses derived from the DRS were not validated against structured diagnostic interviews. RESULTS: PCAs replicated the DSM-IV symptom combinations. Children from the referred sample exhibited more symptoms (p < .001) than children from the community sample. Boys were overrepresented among the children who received DRS-derived ADHD diagnoses. Girls were more likely (92%) to receive a diagnosis of ADHD, predominantly inattentive subtype, than other ADHD diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study provide preliminary support for the validity of the parent and teacher DRS as time- and resource-efficient screening instruments for examining symptoms associated with ADHD.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗

Psychiatric comorbidity associated with DSM-IV ADHD in a nonreferred sample of twins.

OBJECTIVE: To test the external validity of the dimensions and subtypes of DSM-IV attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by assessing the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity. METHOD: Eight- to 18-year-old twins with ADHD (n = 105) and without ADHD (n = 95) were recruited through local school districts. Comorbid disorders were assessed by structured diagnostic interviews with the parent and child and by a behavioral rating scale completed by the child's classroom teacher. RESULTS: Symptoms of inattention were associated with lower intelligence and higher levels of depression, whereas symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity were associated more strongly with symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD). All DSM-IV subtypes were associated with higher rates of ODD and CD in comparison with controls, and the combined type was associated with more disruptive behavior disorder symptoms than the other 2 subtypes. The combined type and predominantly inattentive type were associated with more symptoms of depression than controls or the predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide support for the discriminant validity of the dimensions and subtypes of DSM-IV ADHD and suggest that clinicians should carefully screen for comorbid disorders as part of a comprehensive assessment of ADHD.

Adolescent↗

Executive function oculomotor tasks in girls with ADHD.

OBJECTIVE: To assess executive function in girls with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) using oculomotor tasks as possible trait markers for neurobiological studies. METHOD: Thirty-two girls aged 6 to 13 years with DSM-IV ADHD and 20 age-matched, normal control girls were tested on a variety of oculomotor tasks requiring attention, working memory, and response inhibition, which included smooth pursuit, delayed response, and go-no go tasks. RESULTS: Girls with ADHD performed the delayed response task correctly on 32% of trials as measured by number of memory-guided saccades, in contrast to 62% of trials for control subjects (p = .0009). Patients made twice as many commission errors to no go stimuli (p = .0001) and 3 times as many intrusion errors (saccades in the absence of go or no go stimuli; p = .004) during the go-no go task compared with controls. Smooth pursuit performance was statistically equivalent across subject groups. Repeated testing in a subgroup of 15 patients revealed substantial practice effects on go-no go performance. CONCLUSIONS: The data confirm that girls with ADHD exhibit impairments in executive function, as has been reported in boys, implying a similar pathophysiology of ADHD in both sexes. However, practice effects may limit the utility of the oculomotor go-no go task for some neurobiological studies.

Adolescent↗

Self-esteem in special education children with ADHD: relationship to disorder characteristics and medication use.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the level of self-esteem among the study population, to examine how self-esteem ratings may vary by disorder characteristics and medication use, and to identify predictors of low self-esteem while adjusting for sociodemographic factors. METHOD: In a school district-wide sample of children in special education programs, the authors assessed self-esteem with the Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale among 143 students at high risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the school year 1995, with an interview participation rate of 73%. Disorder characteristics and medication use were assessed using multiple informants and standardized measures. RESULTS: Self-esteem scores, on average, were in the normal range. However, across ADHD comorbidity profiles, children with ADHD and internalizing symptoms had significantly lower self-esteem scores, especially in the areas of anxiety and popularity, than children with ADHD alone or those with comorbid disruptive behavior disorders. Independent predictors of lower self-esteem were being while, high functional impairment, and comorbid internalizing conditions, but not medication use. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that interventions for ADHD should be culturally sensitive as well as aimed at improving a child's functional level and associated internalizing symptoms. Medication use among this younger patient group was not related to self-esteem scores.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗

Moderators and mediators of long-term adherence to stimulant treatment in children with ADHD.

OBJECTIVE: To identify moderators and mediators of long-term adherence to stimulant medication in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHOD: Seventy-one children with ADHD were prescribed methylphenidate, followed prospectively on an annual basis for 3 years, and evaluated for adherence to stimulant treatment. The study occurred in Toronto between 1993 and 1997. Adherents were those who took methylphenidate, or another psychostimulant, for 5 or more days per week throughout the follow-up period, except for "drug holidays." Children who adhered at consecutive evaluations were compared with those who did not. Severity of ADHD, presence of oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder, learning difficulties, anxiety, age, family dysfunction, and socioeconomic adversity at baseline were investigated as moderators of adherence. Response to treatment at school, measured at 12 months, was investigated as a mediator of adherence. RESULTS: Fifty-two percent of children adhered to stimulant treatment for 3 years. Absence of teacher-rated oppositional defiant disorder, more teacher-rated ADHD symptoms, and younger age at baseline predicted adherence. CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to stimulant medications is a significant factor in the long-term treatment of children with ADHD.

Adolescent↗

Psychopharmacology and aggression. I: A meta-analysis of stimulant effects on overt/covert aggression-related behaviors in ADHD.

OBJECTIVE: To determine by meta-analysis the effect size for stimulants on overt and covert aggression-related behaviors in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), separately from stimulant effects on the core symptoms of ADHD. METHOD: A review of the literature from 1970 to 2001 revealed 28 studies meeting inclusion/exclusion criteria for meta-analysis. These studies yielded 28 independent effects of overt aggression and 7 independent effects of covert aggression. RESULTS: The overall weighted mean effect size was 0.84 for overt and 0.69 for covert aggression related behaviors in ADHD. Comorbid conduct disorder is associated with diminishing stimulant effect size for overt aggression. CONCLUSION: Stimulant effects for aggression-related behaviors in ADHD have effect sizes similar to those for the core symptoms of ADHD.

Adolescent↗