Medical conditions and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms from early childhood to adolescence.

The comorbidity between physical and mental health conditions is challenging and frequently goes unrecognized in practice. Associations between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and physical conditions have been reported in youth. However, prior research failed to: (1) address the patterns of associations in early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence within the same population sample; (2) consider a large set of physical disorders at the same time; (3) take confounders into account. Our goal was to assess the associations between ADHD symptoms and a broad set of physical conditions across developmental periods. This birth cohort study (n = 2057) is the first to explore the associations between ADHD and a wide range of medical conditions by encompassing the whole early development from 5 months to 17 years in the same sample and relying on innovative network analyses. We found significant associations between ADHD symptoms and several physical conditions, some of which were observed in early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence (e.g., asthma, sleep problems) or were confounded by socioeconomic status or psychiatric comorbidities (e.g., body mass index, dental caries). The study calls for an effective integrated care model encompassing mental and general healthcare across the developmental period.

Individual Differences in Germ Spreading Behaviors Among Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: The Role of Executive Functioning.

OBJECTIVE: Infectious diseases, such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), are commonly transmitted by respiratory droplets and contact with contaminated surfaces. Individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely to be infected with COVID-19 and experience more hospitalizations than individuals without ADHD. The current study investigated the role of ADHD symptomatology and executive functioning (EF) in germ spreading behavior frequency among young children with and without ADHD and parenting responses to these behaviors. METHODS: Participants included 53 children diagnosed with ADHD and 47 typically developing (TD) children between the ages of 4-5 years (76% male; Mage = 4.62; 86% Hispanic/Latinx). Parents and teachers reported on children's ADHD symptomatology and children completed three EF tasks. Germ spreading behavior frequency (direct contact of hand to face and toy in mouth) and parenting responses (verbal and nonverbal behaviors) were observed during a 5-min parent-child play situation. RESULTS: Negative binomial regression analyses indicated that both ADHD diagnostic status and poor metacognition predicted both higher rates of toy to mouth (ß = 1.94, p < .001; ß = 0.03, p = .004) and face touching frequency (ß = 0.60, p = .03; ß = 0.03, p = .004), respectively. Additionally, poor attention and worse cognitive flexibility only predicted higher rates of toy to mouth frequency (ß = 0.09, p < .001; ß = -0.04, p = .001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Young children with ADHD are at high risk for spreading germs via putting toys in their mouth and touching their face. Particularly, high levels of inattention and poor EF appear to be associated with higher rates of germ spreading behaviors.

Child sex moderates the relationship between cortisol stress reactivity and symptoms over time.

BACKGROUND: Past work suggests that individual differences in stress reactivity have implications for the development of psychopathology; in particular, females' stress reactivity appears more closely tied to internalizing symptoms than males' reactivity. Conversely, males who are under-reactive to threat may be at risk for externalizing problems. However, little is known about when such differences may emerge, although this knowledge could have implications for early prevention. METHODS: Cortisol reactivity to a laboratory stressor was assessed in 409 three-year-old children (201 boys), along with parent-reported children's internalizing (anxiety and depression) and externalizing (oppositional-defiant and attention problems and hyperactivity) symptoms. Parent-reported symptoms were re-collected at child ages 5 (N = 379) and 8 (N = 364). Multilevel modelling was used to investigate whether the relationship between cortisol reactivity and symptoms differed between boys and girls over time. RESULTS: Girls with lower cortisol reactivity showed a negative association between depressive symptoms and time, while girls with higher reactivity showed no such association. No interaction between sex and cortisol reactivity was found for anxious symptoms. Boys with higher cortisol reactivity showed a negative association between symptoms and time, while boys with lower cortisol reactivity showed no such association. Time and ADHD symptoms were unrelated for boys, regardless of their cortisol reactivity. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that the implications of stress reactivity indexed via cortisol vary for boys and girls, as well as for different symptom manifestations.

Oral health status and its relation with medication and dental fear in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the ora-dental health and its relation with medication and dental fear in a group of Turkish children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The levels of dental fear of children were determined with The Dental Subscale of Children's Fear Survey Schedule (CFSS-DS). The oral and dental health evaluation was performed. This study included a total of 117 children aged between 6 and 15 years and they were examined under two groups as "ADHD" (n = 59) and "Control" (n = 58). Ora-dental health variables were compared between the groups and were also analyzed in accordance with dental fear and medication. RESULTS: ADHD children and the control group exhibited similar CFSS-DS scores (15-32). No significant differences existed in df(t)/df(s), DMF(T)/DMF(S), d/D values, and presence of the white spot lesions. ADHD children's Mutans streptococci and Lactobacillus quantities were found significantly higher than the control group. The incidence of parafunctional habits of the ADHD children was also found high. CONCLUSIONS: ADHD children that were medicated exhibited similar dental caries prevalence and periodontal health status. Although ADHD group had similar dental-periodontal health status and dental fear level with the control group and using ADHD medicines did not make a significant effect on the ora-dental health parameters, the patients should be carefully followed up because they were categorized in high caries risk groups.

Does 5HTTLPR Genotype Moderate the Association of Family Environment With Child Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptomatology?

Problematic family dynamics are common among youth with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Multiple mechanisms, including diathesis-stress (vulnerability) and differential susceptibility Gene × Environment interaction effects (G × E), have been proposed to account for this association. G × E effects for ADHD were examined via interactions between a genetic marker hypothesized to influence sensitivity to the environment (the promoter polymorphism of the serotonin transporter gene -5HTTLPR) and family conflict and cohesion in predicting ADHD symptoms. There were 498 youth ages 6-17 years (251 ADHD, 213 non-ADHD) and their parents who completed a multistage, multi-informant assessment (including parent and youth reports on the Family Environment Scale), and saliva sample collection for genotyping. Linear regression analyses examined interactions between 5HTTLPR genotype and the Family Environment Scale scales of conflict and cohesion reported by parent and child. Criteria laid out by Roisman et al. ( 2012 ) were applied to evaluate diathesis stress versus differential susceptibility G × E mechanisms. Results demonstrated interactions between 5HTTLPR genotype and both conflict and cohesion in predicting inattention but not hyperactivity-impulsivity. Both interactions were highly consistent with differential susceptibility models of G × E effects. 5HTTLPR genotype appeared to moderate the relationship between family conflict/cohesion and inattentive symptoms. Interactions highlight the role of 5HTTLPR genotype as a potential marker of environmental sensitivity and provide support for differential susceptibility models of G × E effects for ADHD.

The psychophysiological and health corollaries of child problem behaviours in caregivers of children with autism and ADHD.

BACKGROUND: The positive relationship between problem behaviours of children with additional complex needs and psychological distress in their caregivers has been widely evidenced. Fewer studies, however, have assessed the relationship between care recipients' problem behaviours and key physiological processes, relevant for the physical health status of their care providers. This study examined the psychological, endocrine and health corollaries of child problem behaviours in caregivers of children with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. METHODS: Caregivers (n = 18) completed self-report measures of psychological distress, child problem behaviours and incidences of commonly occurring ailments. To capture important parameters of the basal diurnal cortisol pattern, caregivers collected saliva samples at waking, 30 min post waking, 1200 h and 2200 h on two consecutive weekdays. RESULTS: Data revealed a positive relationship between caregivers' perceived levels of stress and problems with child conduct behaviours. In addition, caregivers who reported more problems with child emotional and hyperactivity behaviours displayed atypical cortisol patterns characterised by flatter diurnal cortisol slopes and reduced cortisol awakening response magnitude. Subjective reports of commonly occurring ailments were also greater in caregivers experiencing more problems with child emotional behaviours. CONCLUSIONS: These findings have implications for interventions that aim to improve the psychophysiological well-being of the caregiver by targeting problem behaviours of the care recipient.

The Pressure-Activation-Stress scale in relation to ADHD and cortisol.

The Pressure-Activation-Stress (PAS) scale is a self-report questionnaire for children concerning perceived stress. To explore behavioral and physiological correlates, we investigated if scores discriminate between a group prone to perceive high levels of stress [children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)] and a healthy school sample, and if they are associated with diurnal cortisol levels. The PAS scale was filled in at home by children (11-17 years) with clinically confirmed ADHD (n = 102) and non-affected comparisons (n = 146). Saliva samples were collected four times during a regular school day for radioimmunoassay analysis of cortisol. Subtypes and severity of ADHD symptoms were determined using parental rating scales. Children with ADHD scored higher on the PAS scale than a school sample. The PAS scores were similar over ages in the ADHD group while they increased with age in the healthy group. Female sex was associated with higher stress in both groups but no gender interaction was found. No association was found between PAS scores and cortisol levels in neither group. Children in the ADHD group had a lower ratio of cortisol levels/perceived stress on all sampling occasions, built up both by the higher PAS scores and the lower cortisol levels in children with ADHD. The higher PAS scores in children with ADHD support the validity of the scale. The lack of association between PAS scores and diurnal cortisol levels is intriguing and illustrates the complexity of the stress concept. Stress-related fragility seems to accompany ADHD during childhood.

Relationship Between Psychological Factors and Oral Health Status and Behaviours.

PURPOSE: To examine oral health related behaviours in relation to anxiety, depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 364 subjects (195 female, age range 19-65 years; 169 male, age range 18-64 years). A psychological evaluation was performed using Beck's anxiety, Beck's depression and ADHD scales. A separate questionnaire covering oral health behaviours, including parafunctional habits, dental visits and toothbrushing frequency, was given to the subjects and completed before the clinical examination. The numbers of decayed, missing and filled teeth were recorded and the status of the subject's periodontal health was determined clinically using periodontal probes and panoramic radiographs. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the gender, level of education, level of income, household size, parafunctional habits and number of missing teeth in those with anxiety and depression (p<0.05) vs those without. Females and subjects with parafunctional habits and lower education and income level presented higher anxiety and depression scores. ADHD was associated negatively with household size and positively with dental visits and toothbrushing frequency (p<0.05). The results of structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that anxiety, depression and ADHD were indirectly related to missing teeth and periodontal status: subjects with higher depression and anxiety scores had more missing teeth and worse periodontal health. However, there was no association between psychological factors and decayed teeth or toothbrushing frequency. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety, depression and ADHD can result in poor oral hygiene, thereby having indirect, adverse effects on the periodontal health status of affected individuals. Although the frequency of dental visits seemed to be related to anxiety and ADHD, the frequency of toothbrushing showed no such association.

Psycho-Neurological Status in Children with Malocclusions and Muscle Pressure Habits.

Non-nutritive sucking behaviors such as finger- and tongue-sucking, tongue thrust, lips- or cheek-sucking, nail-, lip- or tongue-biting and other pressure habits represent risk factors for malocclusion. The association between psycho-neurological disorders and different types of malocclusion in children with sucking habits was long studied. During neurological examination, many children with sucking habits are diagnosed as Minimal Cerebral Dysfunction or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) bearers. The aim of this study is to assess the psycho-neurological status and motor disorders in children with malocclusion and normal occlusion. 135 children, aged between 8 and 12 years old, were examined, 42 children with normal occlusion and 93 children with different types of malocclusion. Besides clinical examination, all children were studied by the following psychoneurological methods: 1) Parent's Questionnaire, 2) Diagnostic interview Kiddie-Sads 3) Physical and Neurological Exam for Subtle Signs and 4) stabilometric tests. This study shows as in presence of dentofacial anomalies, pressure habits, ADHD reports significant effects on the functional state of the motor system: increases are noted in all basic parameters of statokinesiograms (crossed distance, sway area and ellipse surface), which lead to increased physiologic energy costs to maintain the vertical position of the body.

Parental attitudes and experiences of dental care in children and adolescents with ADHD--a questionnaire study.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common psychiatric condition characterized by age-inappropriate levels of inattention, hyperactivity-impulsiveness or a combination of these. The aim of this study was to analyze parental attitudes to and experience of dental care, oral hygiene and dietary habits in children/adolescents with ADHD. Twenty- six parents of 31 subjects, 20 boys and 11 girls, aged 5-19 years with ADHD registered at the Gothenburg Child Neuropsychiatric Clinic, were invited. The parents answered a questionnaire regarding different oral problems when visiting the Clinic of Pediatric Dentistry, Gothenburg, for an oral examination of their child. The parents felt the dental care at the Public Dental Service was good, but noted a lack of knowledge regarding child neuropsychiatry among the dental staff which may influence the dental treatment. Fifteen parents reported their children had experienced mouth pain and 15 reported their child had suffered from both discomfort and pain from local anesthesia. Thirteen of the children had a dental trauma and 12 parents reported pain in connection to the dental treatment. Pain related to filling therapy was stated by 11 parents. According to the parents, five children suffered from dental fear but 15 reported the child had a general fear. Pursuant to the parents, the beverage for dinner was mainly milk or water, while sweet drinks were more frequent when thirsty. Seventeen parents reported their children had poor oral hygiene or could not manage to brush their teeth and 14 of the 31 children only brushed once a day or less. The results show that the parents experience a lack of child neuropsychiatric knowledge, care and patience from the dental staff, which may influence the treatment. Oral hygiene/tooth brushing is neglected and the frequent consumption of sugar is difficult for the parents to handle.

Atomoxetine treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in young adults with assessment of functional outcomes: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with significant impairment in multiple functional domains. This trial evaluated efficacy in ADHD symptoms and functional outcomes in young adults treated with atomoxetine. METHODS: Young adults (18-30 years old) with ADHD were randomized to 12 weeks of double-blind treatment with atomoxetine (n = 220) or placebo (n = 225). The primary efficacy measure of ADHD symptom change was Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS): Investigator-Rated: Screening Version Total ADHD Symptoms score with adult prompts. Secondary outcomes scales included the Adult ADHD Quality of Life-29, Clinical Global Impression-ADHD-Severity, Patient Global Impression-Improvement, CAARS Self-Report, Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version Self-Report, and assessments of depression, anxiety, sleepiness, driving behaviors, social adaptation, and substance use. RESULTS: Atomoxetine was superior to placebo on CAARS: Investigator-Rated: Screening Version (atomoxetine [least-squares mean ± SE, -13.6 ± 0.8] vs placebo [-9.3 ± 0.8], 95% confidence interval [-6.35 to -2.37], P < 0.001), Clinical Global Impression-ADHD-Severity (atomoxetine [-1.1 ± 0.1] vs placebo [-0.7 ± 0.1], 95% confidence interval [-0.63 to -0.24], P < 0.001), and CAARS Self-Report (atomoxetine [-11.9 ± 0.8] vs placebo [-7.8 ± 0.7], 95% confidence interval [-5.94 to -2.15], P < 0.001) but not on Patient Global Impression-Improvement. In addition, atomoxetine was superior to placebo on Adult ADHD Quality of Life-29 and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version Self-Report. Additional assessments failed to detect significant differences (P ≥ 0.05) between atomoxetine and placebo. The adverse event profile was similar to that observed in other atomoxetine studies. Nausea, decreased appetite, insomnia, dry mouth, irritability, dizziness, and dyspepsia were reported significantly more often with atomoxetine than with placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Atomoxetine reduced ADHD symptoms and improved quality of life and executive functioning deficits in young adults compared with placebo. Atomoxetine was also generally well tolerated.

Early psychosocial adversity and cortisol levels in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Previous studies suggest a different regulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA-axis) with lower diurnal cortisol levels, especially in the morning, in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared with controls. Since exposure to foetal and childhood psychosocial adversity has been associated with both ADHD and HPA-axis functioning, such exposures may explain these low cortisol levels in ADHD via early programming of the HPA-axis. Thus, our main aim was to retrospectively study foetal and early childhood exposures to psychosocial adversity in children with ADHD and to relate these exposures to cortisol levels. Saliva samples were collected during a regular weekday in children, 6-17 years old, with clinically confirmed ADHD (n = 197) and non-affected comparisons (n = 221) for radioimmunoassay analysis of cortisol. Parental rating scales were used for categorising subtypes of ADHD and degree of exposure to adversity. Children with ADHD had more reports of at least one rated foetal adversity (p = 0.041) and childhood adversity (p < 0.001) than comparisons. The association between low morning cortisol levels and ADHD-symptoms remained when analyses were adjusted for adversities, age, sex, sampling time and symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder. No relation was found between exposures to foetal/childhood adversity and cortisol levels except for a positive relation between childhood adversity and cortisol morning increase in children with ADHD. The hypothesis that early adversity may influence the HPA-axis, leading to lower cortisol levels in children with ADHD, was not supported by our findings.

Time-of-day effects in arousal: disrupted diurnal cortisol profiles in children with ADHD.

BACKGROUND: Fluctuations in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms related to regulatory deficits in arousal states are themselves characterized by circadian rhythms. Although cortisol is an important circadian arousal-related marker, studies focusing on across-the-day cortisol variations in ADHD are scarce. There is no study with multiple measurements to take into account interday and intraday variability. METHODS: Salivary cortisol was sampled five times a day (awakening, 30 min after awakening, noon, 4 p.m., 8 p.m.) across five consecutive days in 33 children with ADHD (22 with and 11 without oppositional defiant disorder; ODD) and 33 class- and sex-matched controls (aged 6-12). The cortisol awakening response (increase from awakening to 30 min after awakening) and the diurnal cortisol profile (across-the-day variations) were compared for ADHD with ODD (ADHD + ODD) and without ODD (ADHD) subgroups and the control group. RESULTS: The cortisol awakening response was not significantly different between groups. However, longitudinal analyses to evaluate cortisol profiles across the day revealed a significant Group × Time effect (p < .001). More specifically, compared to each other, the ADHD subgroup showed a flatter slope with relative morning hypo-arousal and evening hyperarousal, whereas the ADHD + ODD subgroup showed a steeper slope with relative morning hyperarousal and evening hypo-arousal (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Findings support time-related arousal disruptions in children with ADHD associated with the presence or absence of ODD comorbidity. We recommend research on cortisol in larger samples for a better understanding of arousal mechanisms involved in ADHD not only with and without ODD but also with other comorbidities which may have implications for timing of arousal-based treatments.

Does the cortisol response to stress mediate the link between expressed emotion and oppositional behavior in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity-Disorder (ADHD)?

BACKGROUND: Expressed Emotions (EE) are associated with oppositional behavior (OPB) in children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). EE has been linked to altered stress responses in some disorders, but ADHD has not been studied. We test the hypothesis that OPB in ADHD is mediated by altered stress-related cortisol reactivity to EE. METHODS: Two groups of children (with/without ADHD) and their respective parents were randomly assigned to two different conditions with/without negative emotion and participated in an emotion provocation task. Parents' EE, their ratings of their children's OPB and their children's salivary cortisol levels were measured. RESULTS: Low parental warmth was associated with OPB in ADHD. High levels of parental EE elicited a larger cortisol response. Stress-related cortisol reactivity mediated the EE-OPB link for all children. This highlights the general importance of parent-child interactions on externalizing behavior problems. CONCLUSION: High EE is a salient stressor for ADHD children that leads to increased levels of cortisol and OPB. The development of OPB might be mediated by the stress-response to high EE.

Self-reported attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder symptoms among university students in Eldoret, Kenya.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of self-reported attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms among university students in Eldoret, Kenya. DESIGN: A cross-sectional descriptive study of all students who gave consent to participate in the study. SETTING: Moi University's Town Campus, comprising the Schools of Medicine, Dentistry and Public Health. SUBJECTS: Four hundred and fifty eight undergraduate students, with a mean age of 23.7 years (17-46, S.D. 4.1), of whom 236 (51.5%) were male. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Presence of ADHD symptoms as measured by the adult ADHD self-report scale (ASRS versus 1.1). RESULTS: The prevalence rate of self-reported ADHD symptoms was 21.8%. This was significantly associated with belonging to a younger age-group (17-20 years) compared to the older age-groups (p<0.05). The prevalence was higher among females (25.2%) than among males (18.6%), but this was not statistically significant. There was no significant association between a positive ASRS screen and course of study. Using a modification of ASRS full symptom checklist to approximate a DSM IV TR ADHD diagnosis yielded a prevalence of ADHD symptoms of 9.2% in this cohort. CONCLUSION: The prevalence rate of ADHD symptoms among university students in Eldoret, Kenya is significantly higher than that reported in other studies. Further studies are needed to generate more information about this condition in the low-income countries, especially in college and university populations.

The effect of methylphenidate on social cognition and oxytocin in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The current study aimed to explore the possible effect of stimulants on oxytocin (OT), a neuropeptide which regulates social behavior, as a mediator of the pro-social effect of methylphenidate (MPH) in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared to healthy controls (HCs). Utilizing a double-blind placebo-controlled design, we compared the performance of 50 children with ADHD and 40 HCs in "theory of mind" (ToM) tasks and examined the effect of a single dose of MPH/placebo on ToM and salivary OT levels in children with ADHD at baseline and following an interpersonal interaction. Children with ADHD displayed significantly poorer ToM performance; however, following MPH administration, their performance normalized and differences between children with ADHD and HC were no longer found. Salivary OT levels at baseline did not differ between children with ADHD and HCs. However, after a parent-child interaction, OT levels were significantly higher in the HC group compared to children with ADHD. Administration of MPH attenuated this difference such that after parent-child interaction differences in OT levels between children with ADHD and HC were no longer found. In the ADHD group, OT levels decreased from administration of placebo to the parent-child interaction. However, the administration of MPH to children with ADHD was associated with an increase in OT levels after the parent-child interaction. We conclude that OT might play a role as a mediator of social deficits in children with ADHD and that the reactivity of the OT system to social interaction in children with ADHD might be impaired. Stimulants may improve ToM and social functions in children with ADHD via its impact on the OT system. PRS: OT and Social Cognition in Children with ADHD: Impact of MPH.

ADHD affects not only children, but also adults.

Millions of children (and also adults) affected by attention deficit hyperactivity (ADHD) are members of families already receiving care in many dental practices. A review of national and state prevalence data, the impact of ADHD on children, youths and adults, and issues related to dental services are presented to provide a broad appreciation of the disorder beyond an individual dental practice. "...'cost of illness' for ADHD was between $36 and $52 billion in 2005 dollars".

Physiological and psychological stress responses in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

According to self-report and unsystematic observational data adult patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder suffer from increased vulnerability to daily life stressors. The present study examined psychological and physiological stress responses in adult ADHD subjects in comparison to healthy controls under laboratory conditions. Thirty-six subjects (18 patients with DSM-IV ADHD diagnosis, 18 sex- and age-matched healthy controls) underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST; Kirschbaum, C., Pirke, K.-M., Hellhammer, D.H., 1993. The "Trier Social Stress Test"--a tool for investigating psychobiological stress responses in a laboratory setting. Neuropsychobiology 28, 76-81), a standardized psychosocial stress protocol which contains a stress anticipation phase and a stress phase with a free speech assignment and subsequent performance of a mental arithmetic. Physiological stress measures were salivary cortisol as an indicator of the HPA axis, heart rate (HR), and time- and frequency-domain heart rate variability (HRV) parameters. Subjective stress experience was measured via self-report repeatedly throughout the experimental session. In line with previous theoretical and empirical work in the field of childhood ADHD, it was hypothesized that the ADHD and control group would exhibit comparable baseline levels in all dependent variables. For ADHD subjects, we expected attenuated responses of the physiological parameters during anticipation and presence of the standardized stressor, but elevated subjective stress ratings. Hypotheses were confirmed for the baseline condition. Consistent with our assumptions in regard to the psychological stress response, the ADHD group experienced significantly greater subjective stress. The results for the physiological variables were mixed. While ADHD subjects revealed an attenuated HR during the stress phase, no significant group differences were found for the other parameters, although a trend was observed for both the low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio of the HRV power spectral analysis and salivary cortisol (the latter possibly indicating generally lower cortisol levels in ADHD subjects). In summary, the present findings are the first to demonstrate a significant alteration of a specific physiological stress measure (HR) and, more clearly, of psychological aspects of the stress response in adults suffering from ADHD. In regard to the physiological stress response, it is recommended that future studies employ larger sample sizes and a more comprehensive range of physiological stress parameters. Additionally, the issue of transferability of laboratory results to real life stressors needs to be addressed.

Effect of switching drug formulations from immediate-release to extended-release OROS methylphenidate : a chart review of Spanish adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

BACKGROUND: The potential advantages of osmotic-release oral system (OROS) methylphenidate (Concerta) over immediate-release (IR) methylphenidate (Rubifen) in adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), with respect to medication adherence, effectiveness and tolerability, are yet to be determined. OBJECTIVE: To compare the adherence, effectiveness and tolerability of OROS methylphenidate versus IR methylphenidate in adults with ADHD. It was hypothesized (after data collection) that adherence and effectiveness would be higher with OROS methylphenidate than with the IR formulation. STUDY DESIGN: A chart review was carried out from April 2004 until April 2005. SETTING: Adult ADHD outpatient program in a general hospital in Spain. PATIENTS: Seventy adults with ADHD who met DSM-IV-TR criteria and who did not have any other current major psychiatric disorder. INTERVENTION: Patients were treated with IR methylphenidate three times daily for 3 months and then switched to OROS methylphenidate once daily. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Effectiveness was assessed by means of the ADHD rating scale-IV (ADHD-RS-IV) and the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scale at 3 months (coinciding with treatment switch) and at 6 months. The Simplified Medication Adherence Questionnaire (SMAQ) was used to assess treatment adherence, and was administered at both 3 and 6 months. RESULTS: Seventy adult ADHD patients (mean age +/- SD: 30 +/- 9.6 years; n = 48 men [68.6%]) were included in this study. The mean baseline ADHD-RS-IV score was 34.6 (SD = 10.9). The mean daily dose of IR methylphenidate was 52.1 mg (SD = 13.8 mg) administered as three divided doses. After the treatment switch, the mean OROS methylphenidate daily dose was 57.9 mg (SD = 16.5 mg) administered once daily. The switch from IR methylphenidate to OROS methylphenidate was associated with a statistically significant improvement in all items of the SMAQ questionnaire. OROS methylphenidate was more effective than IR methylphenidate (p = 0.0005) in reducing symptoms of ADHD. The percentage of responders was 28.6% with IR methylphenidate and 91.4% with the OROS formulation (p = 0.0005). OROS methylphenidate was preferred by 97% of patients. The most common adverse events for each formulation were dry mouth (30% IR methylphenidate) and mood instability (31% OROS methylphenidate). No patients stopped treatment with methylphenidate because of adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: The switch from IR to OROS methylphenidate was associated with an improvement in both adherence and effectiveness. There were no differences between IR and OROS methylphenidate in terms of tolerability.