Childhood attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder problems and mid-life cardiovascular risk: prospective population cohort study.
Br J Psychiatry
; 223(4): 472-477, 2023 10.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37408455
BACKGROUND: It is well-known that childhood attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with later adverse mental health and social outcomes. Patient-based studies suggest that ADHD may be associated with later cardiovascular disease (CVD) but the focus of preventive interventions is unclear. It is unknown whether ADHD leads to established cardiovascular risk factors because so few cohort studies measure ADHD and also follow up to an age where CVD risk is evident. AIMS: To examine associations between childhood ADHD problems and directly measured CVD risk factors at ages 44/45 years in a UK population-based cohort study (National Child Development Study) of individuals born in 1958. METHOD: Childhood ADHD problems were defined by elevated ratings on both the parent Rutter A scale and a teacher-rated questionnaire at age 7 years. Outcomes were known cardiovascular risk factors (blood pressure, lipid measurements, body mass index and smoking) at the age 44/45 biomedical assessment. RESULTS: Of the 8016 individuals assessed both during childhood and at the biomedical assessment 3.0% were categorised as having childhood ADHD problems. ADHD problems were associated with higher body mass index (B = 0.92 kg/m2, s.d. = 0.27-1.56), systolic (3.5 mmHg, s.d. = 1.4-5.6) and diastolic (2.2 mmHg, s.d. = 0.8-3.6) blood pressure, triglyceride levels (0.24 mol/l, s.d. = 0.02-0.46) and being a current smoker (odds ratio OR = 1.6, s.d. = 1.2-2.1) but not with LDL cholesterol. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood ADHD problems predicted multiple cardiovascular risk factors by mid-life. These findings, when taken together with previously observed associations with cardiovascular disease in registries, suggest that individuals with ADHD could benefit from cardiovascular risk monitoring, given these risk factors are modifiable with timely intervention.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
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Cardiovascular Diseases
Type of study:
Etiology_studies
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Observational_studies
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Prognostic_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Adult
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Aged
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Child
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Br J Psychiatry
Year:
2023
Document type:
Article