Methylphenidate and Short-Term Cardiovascular Risk.

Importance: There are concerns about the safety of medications for treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), with mixed evidence on possible cardiovascular risk. Objective: To assess whether short-term methylphenidate use is associated with risk of cardiovascular events. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective, population-based cohort study was based on national Swedish registry data. Participants were individuals with ADHD aged 12 to 60 years with dispensed prescriptions of methylphenidate between January 1, 2007, and June 30, 2012. Each person receiving methylphenidate (n = 26 710) was matched on birth date, sex, and county to up to 10 nonusers without ADHD (n = 225 672). Statistical analyses were performed from September 13, 2022, to May 16, 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures: Rates of cardiovascular events, including ischemic heart disease, venous thromboembolism, heart failure, or tachyarrhythmias, 1 year before methylphenidate treatment and 6 months after treatment initiation were compared between individuals receiving methylphenidate and matched controls using a bayesian within-individual design. Analyses were stratified by history of cardiovascular events. Results: The cohort included 252 382 individuals (15 442 [57.8% men]; median age, 20 (IQR, 15-31) years). The overall incidence of cardiovascular events was 1.51 per 10 000 person-weeks (95% highest density interval [HDI], 1.35-1.69) for individuals receiving methylphenidate and 0.77 (95% HDI, 0.73-0.82) for the matched controls. Individuals treated with methylphenidate had an 87% posterior probability of having a higher rate of cardiovascular events after treatment initiation (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.41; 95% HDI, 1.09-1.88) compared with matched controls (IRR, 1.18; 95% HDI, 1.02-1.37). The posterior probabilities were 70% for at least a 10% increased risk of cardiovascular events in individuals receiving methylphenidate vs 49% in matched controls. No difference was found in this risk between individuals with and without a history of cardiovascular disease (IRR, 1.11; 95% HDI, 0.58-2.13). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, individuals receiving methylphenidate had a small increased cardiovascular risk vs matched controls in the 6 months after treatment initiation. However, there was little evidence for an increased risk of 20% or higher and for differences in risk increase between people with and without a history of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, before treatment initiation, careful consideration of the risk-benefit trade-off of methylphenidate would be useful, regardless of cardiovascular history.

Criminal convictions in males and females diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A Swedish national registry study.

Background: Individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) face an elevated risk of criminal convictions compared to those without ADHD. However, understanding this link involves considering sex differences, coexisting psychiatric conditions, and unmeasured familial factors. This study aimed to explore the connection between ADHD and criminal convictions (both violent and non-violent) in males and females, while also assessing the impact of comorbid psychiatric disorders and familial factors. Methods: Using Swedish national registers, we identified individuals born between 1986 and 1997 (635,391 males and 600,548 females). ADHD was defined through clinical diagnosis and prescribed medications, while criminal convictions were determined based on Swedish lower court records. Unmeasured familial factors were accounted for using a sibling design approach. Results: Findings revealed that individuals with ADHD had a notably higher absolute and relative risk of both violent and non-violent criminal convictions compared to those without ADHD. While criminal convictions were more frequent among males with ADHD, females with ADHD exhibited higher relative risks (HR violent 10.50, non-violent 4.04) than their male counterparts (HR violent 6.03, non-violent 3.57). Additionally, lower socioeconomic status (SES) in individuals with ADHD was associated with increased relative risks for criminal convictions compared to individuals with ADHD who had higher SES. Adjusting for childhood and internalizing psychiatric disorders partially attenuated these associations, while substance use disorders (SUD) substantially attenuated them. SUD also contributed to an elevated absolute risk of criminal convictions in both male and female individuals with ADHD. Accounting for unmeasured shared familial factors slightly reduced the estimates, but the association between ADHD and criminal convictions persisted. Conclusion: In conclusion, ADHD remains a potent independent risk factor for criminal convictions, with varying effects based on gender. This underscores the importance of tailored crime prevention strategies and early interventions for individuals with ADHD, especially when comorbid SUD is present.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medications and Long-Term Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases.

Importance: Use of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications has increased substantially over the past decades. However, the potential risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) associated with long-term ADHD medication use remains unclear. Objective: To assess the association between long-term use of ADHD medication and the risk of CVD. Design, Setting, and Participants: This case-control study included individuals in Sweden aged 6 to 64 years who received an incident diagnosis of ADHD or ADHD medication dispensation between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2020. Data on ADHD and CVD diagnoses and ADHD medication dispensation were obtained from the Swedish National Inpatient Register and the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register, respectively. Cases included individuals with ADHD and an incident CVD diagnosis (ischemic heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, hypertension, heart failure, arrhythmias, thromboembolic disease, arterial disease, and other forms of heart disease). Incidence density sampling was used to match cases with up to 5 controls without CVD based on age, sex, and calendar time. Cases and controls had the same duration of follow-up. Exposure: Cumulative duration of ADHD medication use up to 14 years. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was incident CVD. The association between CVD and cumulative duration of ADHD medication use was measured using adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% CIs. Results: Of 278 027 individuals with ADHD aged 6 to 64 years, 10 388 with CVD were identified (median [IQR] age, 34.6 [20.0-45.7] years; 6154 males [59.2%]) and matched with 51 672 control participants without CVD (median [IQR] age, 34.6 [19.8-45.6] years; 30 601 males [59.2%]). Median (IQR) follow-up time in both groups was 4.1 (1.9-6.8) years. Longer cumulative duration of ADHD medication use was associated with an increased risk of CVD compared with nonuse (0 to ≤1 year: AOR, 0.99 [95% CI, 0.93-1.06]; 1 to ≤2 years: AOR, 1.09 [95% CI, 1.01-1.18]; 2 to ≤3 years: AOR, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.05-1.25]; 3 to ≤5 years: AOR, 1.27 [95% CI, 1.17-1.39]; and >5 years: AOR, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.12-1.36]). Longer cumulative ADHD medication use was associated with an increased risk of hypertension (eg, 3 to ≤5 years: AOR, 1.72 [95% CI, 1.51-1.97] and >5 years: AOR, 1.80 [95% CI, 1.55-2.08]) and arterial disease (eg, 3 to ≤5 years: AOR, 1.65 [95% CI, 1.11-2.45] and >5 years: AOR, 1.49 [95% CI, 0.96-2.32]). Across the 14-year follow-up, each 1-year increase of ADHD medication use was associated with a 4% increased risk of CVD (AOR, 1.04 [95% CI, 1.03-1.05]), with a larger increase in risk in the first 3 years of cumulative use (AOR, 1.08 [95% CI, 1.04-1.11]) and stable risk over the remaining follow-up. Similar patterns were observed in children and youth (aged <25 years) and adults (aged ≥25 years). Conclusions and Relevance: This case-control study found that long-term exposure to ADHD medications was associated with an increased risk of CVDs, especially hypertension and arterial disease. These findings highlight the importance of carefully weighing potential benefits and risks when making treatment decisions about long-term ADHD medication use. Clinicians should regularly and consistently monitor cardiovascular signs and symptoms throughout the course of treatment.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder: Evidence From Multiple Genetically Informed Designs.

BACKGROUND: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) are two highly prevalent disorders that frequently co-occur. Prior evidence from genetic and cohort studies supports an association between ADHD and MDD. However, the direction and mechanisms underlying their association remain unclear. As onset of ADHD occurs in early life, it has been hypothesized that ADHD may cause MDD. METHODS: We examined the association of ADHD with MDD using 3 different genetically informed methods to disentangle causality from confounding: 1) a nationwide longitudinal register-based full sibling comparison (N = 1,018,489) adjusting for shared familial confounding; 2) a prospective co-twin control study comprising 16,477 twins (5084 monozygotic and 11,393 dizygotic); and 3) a two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis using the largest available ADHD (N = 225,534) and MDD (N = 500,199) genome-wide association study summary statistics, adjusting for correlated and uncorrelated horizontal pleiotropy. RESULTS: Sibling and twin comparisons indicated that individuals with ADHD have an increased risk for subsequent development of MDD (hazard ratio = 4.12 [95% CI 3.62-4.69]) after adjusting for shared genetic and familial factors and that ADHD scores endorsed by parents are positively associated with subsequent MDD scores at ages 15 and 18 years (b = 0.07 [95% CI 0.05-0.08] and b = 0.09 [95% CI 0.08-0.11], respectively). Mendelian randomization analyses showed that genetic liability for ADHD is causally related to MDD (odds ratio = 1.15 [95% CI 1.08-1.23]). CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides consistent results across 3 different genetically informative approaches, strengthening the hypothesis that ADHD is causally related to MDD.

Association between dementia risk and ulcerative colitis, with and without colectomy: a Swedish population-based register study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the association of ulcerative colitis (UC) with all-cause dementia and assess differences in those with and without a total colectomy. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: This Swedish prospective register-based study comprised 4.8 million individuals aged at least 59 years between 1964 and 2018 with the linkage of several Swedish national registers. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Individuals with dementia were defined according to International Classification of Diseases diagnostic codes and Anatomical Therapeutic Classification codes for medication prescriptions. Fitting Cox hazards models, the risk of developing all-cause dementia in individuals with and without UC was estimated. Further, we compared the risk of all-cause dementia among those with and without a colectomy. RESULTS: Among 4 821 488 individuals (52.6% females) followed for 84.1 million person-years between 1964 and 2018, the incidence rate of all-cause dementia was 63.90 (63.73-64.07) events per 10 000 person-years in individuals without UC, 94.80 (92.04-97.64) among those with UC, 95.01 (92.25-97.86) in those with UC but without colectomy and 63.42 (40.92-98.31) in those with UC and a colectomy. Adjusted Cox models showed an increased all-cause dementia risk in individuals with UC (HR 1.07, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.10). We found no differences between unexposed individuals and those with UC and a colectomy (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.57 to 1.38). CONCLUSION: The findings are consistent with previous evidence suggesting a slightly increased dementia risk among individuals with UC. This study provided no evidence of further risk increase of dementia among those who had a colectomy.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often co-occurs with other psychiatric and physical diseases. However, available evidence on associations between ADHD and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is mixed. To systematically review, quantitatively synthesize, and appraise available evidence on the link between ADHD with CVDs, we searched relevant articles in PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and Web of Science from inception to May 1, 2022. Study quality was assessed by using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and random-effects model meta-analyses were performed. A total of 18,391,169 (ADHD: n = 421,224) individuals from 11 studies were included in our systematic review and 8,196,648 (ADHD = 332,619) individuals from five studies were included in the main meta-analysis of adjusted estimates. Pooled estimates showed that ADHD was significantly associated with an increased risk of CVDs in analyses based on adjusted effect size (odds ratio (OR) = 1.96; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.19-2.23, Q = 140.74, P Q < 0.001, I 2 = 97.2%). When restricted among adults, the heterogeneity declined to null (OR = 1.73; 95% CI = 1.14-2.62, Q = 6.28, P Q = 0.10, I 2 = 6.28%), suggesting age might be the main source of heterogeneity. In subgroup analyses, we found increased risk of CVDs associated with ADHD across age groups, type of CVDs, and data sources. This systematic review and meta-analyses indicate that ADHD is associated with increased risk for CVDs, but further studies with various study designs are warranted to advance the understanding of the underlying mechanisms for the observed association between ADHD and CVDs. Additional research is also needed to resolve the role of ADHD medications which remains unclear due to the limited number of primary studies exploring this issue.

Prevalence of sleep disorder diagnoses and sleep medication prescriptions in individuals with ADHD across the lifespan: a Swedish nationwide register-based study.

BACKGROUND: Consistent evidence suggests a strong association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and subjectively reported sleep problems. However, the prevalence of clinically ascertained sleep disorder diagnoses and sleep medication prescriptions in individuals with ADHD remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To determine the rates of sleep disorder diagnoses and sleep medication prescriptions in children, adolescents and adults with ADHD. METHODS: We linked Swedish national registers to create a cohort of individuals born 1945-2008. We estimated the absolute and relative risks (using logistic regression models) of different sleep disorder diagnoses and medication prescriptions in individuals with and without ADHD. The analyses were performed across five different age groups: children (5-11 years), adolescents (12-17 years), young adults (18-30 years), middle-aged adults (31-45 years) and older adults (46-60 years). FINDINGS: Among individuals with ADHD (N=145 490, 2.25% of the cohort), 7.5% had a sleep disorder diagnosis and 47.5% had been prescribed sleep medication. Individuals with ADHD, across all age groups, had a statistically significantly increased risk of having any sleep disorder diagnosis (ORrange=6.4-16.1) and any sleep medication prescription (ORrange=12.0-129.4) compared with individuals without ADHD. While rates of sleep disorders were highest in older adults, the relative risks were highest in youth. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with ADHD have a substantially increased risk of sleep disorder diagnoses and sleep medication prescriptions, from childhood into older adulthood. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: More clinical efforts are needed to tackle impairing sleep problems in individuals with ADHD via systematic sleep assessment, appropriate diagnosis, and pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. Sleep medication use should be informed by sleep disorder diagnosis.

Associations Between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), ADHD Medication, and Shorter Height: A Quasi-Experimental and Family-Based Study.

OBJECTIVE: The association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and shorter height is unclear. This study examined the risk of shorter height in individuals with ADHD, and the influence of prenatal factors, ADHD medication, psychiatric comorbidity, socioeconomic factors, and familial liability. METHOD: We drew on Swedish National Registers for 2 different study designs. First, height data for 14,268 individuals with ADHD and 71,339 controls were stratified into 2 groups: (1) before stimulant treatment was introduced in Sweden, and (2) after stimulant treatment was introduced in Sweden. Second, we used a family-based design including 833,172 relatives without ADHD with different levels of relatedness to the individuals with ADHD and matched controls. RESULTS: ADHD was associated with shorter height both before (below-average height: OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.22-1.41) and after (below-average height: OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.13-1.31) stimulants for ADHD were introduced in Sweden, and was of similar magnitude in both cohorts. The association between ADHD and shorter height attenuated after adjustment for prenatal factors, psychiatric disorders, and socioeconomic status. Relatives of individuals with ADHD had an increased risk of shorter height (below-average height in full siblings: OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.09-1.19; maternal half siblings: OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.01-1.20; paternal half siblings: OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.07-1.24, first full cousins: OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.08-1.12). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that ADHD is associated with shorter height. On a population level, this association was present both before and after ADHD medications were available in Sweden. The association between ADHD and height was partly explained by prenatal factors, psychiatric comorbidity, low socioeconomic status, and a shared familial liability for ADHD.

Risk of dementia and mild cognitive impairment in older adults with a criminal background: a population-based register study in Sweden.

Criminal behaviour has previously been associated with an increased risk for several mental health problems, but little is known about the association between criminal behaviour and dementia. We aimed to examine how the criminal background (type of crime, number of convictions, length of the sentence) is associated with dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and how mental and physical health disorders and educational attainment influenced these associations. A nationwide cohort of 3,617,028 individuals born between 1932 and 1962 were linked with criminal and medical records using Swedish national registers. We used Cox regression models to examine the associations. Increased risks for dementia (Hazard ratios (HRs) 1.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.50-1.57) and MCI (1.55, 1.50-1.61) were found in individuals with criminal background, particularly among those who committed violent or several crimes, or with long sentences. After full adjustment of covariates, the associations attenuated but remained statistically significant for dementia (1.25, 1.22-1.28) and MCI (1.27, 1.22-1.32). The attenuation was mostly explained by mental health problems -depression, anxiety, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, substance use disorder (SUD), and bipolar disorder- (dementia: 1.34, 1.31-1.37; MCI: 1.35, 1.30-1.40). SUD contributed the most to attenuate the associations. Our results may provide important insights to health and penal systems by showing the importance of considering the severity of the criminal background and life-course mental health when assessing the risk of neurodegenerative disorders.

The association between type 2 diabetes and attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and population-based sibling study.

We conducted a systematic review and a meta-analysis to quantitatively summarize evidence on the association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Moreover, a register-based sibling study was conducted to simultaneously control for confounding factors. A systematic search identified four eligible observational studies (N = 5738,287). The meta-analysis showed that individuals with ADHD have a more than doubled risk of T2D when considering adjusted estimates (OR=2.29 [1.48-3.55], d=0.46). Results from the register-based Swedish data showed a significant association between ADHD and T2D (HR=2.35 [2.14-2.58]), with substance use disorder, depression, and anxiety being the main drivers of the association, and cardiovascular and familiar risk playing a smaller role. While results from the meta-analysis provide evidence for an increased risk of T2D in individuals with ADHD, the register-based analyses show that the association between ADHD and T2D is largely explained by psychiatric comorbidities. Pending further evidence of causal association, our findings suggest that early identification and treatment of ADHD comorbidities might greatly reduce the risk of developing T2D in individuals with ADHD.

Depression and anxiety disorders during the postpartum period in women diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

BACKGROUND: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with an increased risk of poor mental health. However, the understanding of ADHD-related burden and impairments in women during the postpartum period is limited. The aim with the present study was to examine the risk of depression and anxiety disorders during the postpartum period among women with and without an ADHD diagnosis. METHODS: We used register-based data to identify women who gave birth to their first and/or second child between 2005 and 2013 in Sweden (n = 773,047), of which 0.5 % (n = 3515) had a diagnosis of ADHD prior to pregnancy. Diagnoses of depression and anxiety disorders up to one year after delivery were collected from the national patient register. RESULTS: A total of 16.76 % of the women with an ADHD diagnosis were also diagnosed with depression disorders in the postpartum period, prevalence ratio (PR) 5.09 (95 % confidence interval (CI), 4.68-5.54). A total of 24.92 % of the women with an ADHD diagnosis were also diagnosed with anxiety disorders in the postpartum period, PR 5.41 (5.06-5.78). Stratified results revealed that having a diagnosis of ADHD increased the risk for both depression and anxiety disorders postpartum, beyond other well-known risk factors. LIMITATIONS: There is a potential risk of surveillance bias as women diagnosed with ADHD are more likely to have repeated visits to psychiatric care and might have an enhanced likelihood of also being diagnosed with depression and anxiety disorders postpartum, compared to women without ADHD. CONCLUSIONS: ADHD is an important risk factor for both depression and anxiety disorders postpartum. Therefore, ADHD needs to be considered in the maternal care, regardless of sociodemographic factors and the presence of other psychiatric disorders.

Predicting childhood and adolescent attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder onset: a nationwide deep learning approach.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a heterogeneous disorder with a high degree of psychiatric and physical comorbidity, which complicates its diagnosis in childhood and adolescence. We analyzed registry data from 238,696 persons born and living in Sweden between 1995 and 1999. Several machine learning techniques were used to assess the ability of registry data to inform the diagnosis of ADHD in childhood and adolescence: logistic regression, random Forest, gradient boosting, XGBoost, penalized logistic regression, deep neural network (DNN), and ensemble models. The best fitting model was the DNN, achieving an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.75, 95% CI (0.74-0.76) and balanced accuracy of 0.69. At the 0.45 probability threshold, sensitivity was 71.66% and specificity was 65.0%. There was an overall agreement in the feature importance among all models (τ > .5). The top 5 features contributing to classification were having a parent with criminal convictions, male sex, having a relative with ADHD, number of academic subjects failed, and speech/learning disabilities. A DNN model predicting childhood and adolescent ADHD trained exclusively on Swedish register data achieved good discrimination. If replicated and validated in an external sample, and proven to be cost-effective, this model could be used to alert clinicians to individuals who ought to be screened for ADHD and to aid clinicians' decision-making with the goal of decreasing misdiagnoses. Further research is needed to validate results in different populations and to incorporate new predictors.

The Relationship of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization and Population-Based Sibling Comparison Study.

BACKGROUND: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are associated, but it is unclear if this is a causal relationship or confounding. We used genetic analyses and sibling comparisons to clarify the direction of this relationship. METHODS: Linkage disequilibrium score regression and 2-sample Mendelian randomization were used to test for genetic correlation (rg) and bidirectional causal effects using European ancestry genome-wide association studies of ADHD (20,183 cases and 35,191 controls) and 6 PTSD definitions (up to 320,369 individuals). Several additional variables were included in the analysis to verify the independence of the ADHD-PTSD relationship. In a population-based sibling comparison (N = 2,082,118 individuals), Cox regression models were fitted to account for time at risk, a range of sociodemographic factors, and unmeasured familial confounders (via sibling comparisons). RESULTS: ADHD and PTSD had consistent rg (rg range, 0.43-0.52; p < .001). ADHD genetic liability was causally linked with increased risk for PTSD (ß = 0.367; 95% CI, 0.186-0.552; p = 7.68 × 10-5). This result was not affected by heterogeneity, horizontal pleiotropy (Mendelian randomization Egger intercept = 4.34 × 10-4, p = .961), or other phenotypes and was consistent across PTSD datasets. However, we found no consistent associations between PTSD genetic liability and ADHD risk. Individuals diagnosed with ADHD were at a higher risk for developing PTSD than their undiagnosed sibling (hazard ratio = 2.37; 95% CI, 1.98-3.53). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings add novel evidence supporting the need for early and effective treatment of ADHD, as patients with this diagnosis are at significantly higher risk to develop PTSD later in life.

Association of 5α-Reductase Inhibitors With Dementia, Depression, and Suicide.

Importance: In recent decades, there has been increased interest in the possible adverse neurological effects of 5α-reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs), which have been used mainly for benign prostatic hyperplasia and androgenic alopecia. Numerous studies and reports have indicated associations of 5-ARIs with depression and suicide. However, most of these studies had methodological shortcomings, and very little is known about the potential association of 5-ARIs with dementia. Objective: To investigate the association of 5-ARI use with all-cause dementia, Alzheimer disease, vascular dementia, depression, and suicide. Design, Setting, and Participants: This Swedish register-based cohort study included 2 236 876 men aged 50 to 90 years between July 1, 2005, and December 31, 2018. Statistical analyses were performed from September 15, 2021, to May 25, 2022. Main Outcomes and Measures: A diagnosis of all-cause dementia, Alzheimer disease, vascular dementia, depression, or completed suicide. Exposures: A recorded prescription in the Swedish national prescription register of finasteride or dutasteride and duration of use. Results: Of 2 236 876 men (median age at the start of follow-up, 55 years [IQR, 50-65 years] and at treatment initiation, 73 years [IQR, 66-80 years]), 70 645 (3.2%) started finasteride treatment, and 8774 (0.4%) started dutasteride treatment. Men taking finasteride or dutasteride were at increased risk of all-cause dementia (finasteride: hazard ratio [HR], 1.22 [95% CI, 1.17-1.28]; dutasteride: HR, 1.10 [95% CI, 1.01-1.20]), Alzheimer disease (finasteride: HR, 1.20 [95% CI, 1.10-1.31]; dutasteride: HR, 1.28 [95% CI, 1.09-1.50]), vascular dementia (finasteride: HR, 1.44 [95% CI, 1.30-1.58]; dutasteride: HR, 1.31 [95% CI, 1.08-1.59]), and depression (finasteride: HR, 1.61 [95% CI, 1.48-1.75]; dutasteride: HR, 1.68 [95% CI, 1.43-1.96]). However, the magnitude of the association decreased over time, and the findings became statistically nonsignificant with continuous exposures over 4 years, except for depression, which showed a constant risk over time, with no differences between finasteride and dutasteride. In contrast, 5-ARIs were not associated with suicide (finasteride: HR, 1.22 [95% CI, 0.99-1.49]; dutasteride: HR, 0.98 [95% CI, 0.62-1.54]). Conclusions and Relevance: This cohort study found that, while men receiving 5-ARI treatment showed a higher risk for dementia in the initial periods after starting treatment, the decreasing magnitude of the association over time suggested that the risk may be, entirely or in part, due to increased dementia detection among patients with benign prostate enlargement. Both finasteride and dutasteride were similarly associated with depression with a constant risk over time, while neither drug was associated with suicide. Prescribing clinicians and potential users should be aware of the possible risks for depression associated with 5-ARI use.

Acute appendicitis and ulcerative colitis: a population-based sibling comparison study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the inverse relationship between acute appendicitis and ulcerative colitis (UC) using a sibling comparison design to adjust for unmeasured familial genetic and environmental factors. DESIGN: The cohort comprised 3.1 million individuals resident in Sweden between 1984 and 2018 with the linkage of several Swedish national registers. Fitting Cox hazards models, we calculated the risk for developing UC in individuals with and without acute appendicitis by the age 20 years adjusting for several potential confounding factors. Further, we performed sibling-stratified analyses to adjust for shared unmeasured familial confounding factors. RESULTS: During 57.7 million person-years of follow-up, 20 848/3 125 232 developed UC among those without appendicitis (3.63 (3.59-3.68) per 10 000 person-years), whereas only 59/35 848 people developed UC among those with appendicitis before age 20 years (1.66 (1.28-2.14) per 10 000 person-years). We found a decreased risk for developing UC in those with acute appendicitis by the age 20 years compared with individuals who did not have appendicitis by this age (HR=0.37 (95% CI 0.29 to 0.48)). When adjusting for shared familial confounders, we observed only a slight attenuation in this association (HR=0.46 (95% CI 0.32 to 0.66)). CONCLUSION: Individuals who had acute appendicitis by late adolescence showed a decreased risk for developing UC compared with those who did not. Genetic and shared familial environmental factors seem to potentially play only a small role in this relationship. Our results suggest an independent association of acute appendicitis, or its underlying causes, with UC risk.

Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases Associated With Medications Used in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: Use of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications has increased substantially over the past decades, but there are concerns regarding their cardiovascular safety. Objective: To provide an updated synthesis of evidence on whether ADHD medications are associated with the risk of a broad range of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Data Sources: PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and Web of Science up to May 1, 2022. Study Selection: Observational studies investigating the association between ADHD medications (including stimulants and nonstimulants) and risk of CVD. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Independent reviewers extracted data and assessed study quality using the Good Research for Comparative Effectiveness (GRACE) checklist. Data were pooled using random-effects models. This study is reported according to the Meta-analyses of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guideline. Main Outcomes and Measures: The outcome was any type of cardiovascular event, including hypertension, ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, heart failure, venous thromboembolism, tachyarrhythmias, and cardiac arrest. Results: Nineteen studies (with 3 931 532 participants including children, adolescents, and adults; 60.9% male), of which 14 were cohort studies, from 6 countries or regions were included in the meta-analysis. Median follow-up time ranged from 0.25 to 9.5 years (median, 1.5 years). Pooled adjusted relative risk (RR) did not show a statistically significant association between ADHD medication use and any CVD among children and adolescents (RR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.91-1.53), young or middle-aged adults (RR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.43-2.48), or older adults (RR, 1.59; 95% CI, 0.62-4.05). No significant associations for stimulants (RR, 1.24; 95% CI, 0.84-1.83) or nonstimulants (RR, 1.22; 95% CI, 0.25-5.97) were observed. For specific cardiovascular outcomes, no statistically significant association was found in relation to cardiac arrest or arrhythmias (RR, 1.60; 95% CI, 0.94-2.72), cerebrovascular diseases (RR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.72-1.15), or myocardial infarction (RR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.68-1.65). There was no associations with any CVD in female patients (RR, 1.88; 95% CI, 0.43-8.24) and in those with preexisting CVD (RR, 1.31; 95% CI, 0.80-2.16). Heterogeneity between studies was high and significant except for the analysis on cerebrovascular diseases. Conclusions and Relevance: This meta-analysis suggests no statistically significant association between ADHD medications and the risk of CVD across age groups, although a modest risk increase could not be ruled out, especially for the risk of cardiac arrest or tachyarrhythmias. Further investigation is warranted for the cardiovascular risk in female patients and patients with preexisting CVD as well as long-term risks associated with ADHD medication use.

Comparison of pre-treatment and in-vivo dosimetry for advanced radiotherapy of prostate cancer.

Background: The usage of advanced radiotherapy techniques requires validation of a previously calculated dose with the precise delivery with a linear accelerator. This study aimed to review and evaluate new verification methods of dose distribution. Moreover, our purpose was to define an internal protocol of acceptance for in-vivo measurements of dose distribution. Materials and methods: This study included 43 treatment plans of prostate cancer calculated using the Monte Carlo algorithm. All plans were delivered using the Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) technique of advanced radiotherapy by the linear accelerator Elekta VersaHD. The dose distribution was verified using: MatriXX, iViewDose, and in-vivo measurements. The verification also included recalculation of fluence maps of quality assurance plans in another independent algorithm. Results: The acceptance criterion of 95% points of dose in agreement was found for pre-treatment verification using MatriXX; the average γ value was 99.09 ± 0.93 (SD) and 99.64 ± 0.35 (SD) for recalculation in the Collapse Cone algorithm. Moreover, using the second algorithm in the verification process showed a positive correlation ρ = 0.58, p < 0.001. However, verification using iViewDose in a phantom and in-vivo did not meet this γ-pass rate. Conclusions: Evaluation of gamma values for in-vivo measurements utilizing iViewDose software was helpful to establish an internal dosimetry protocol for prostate cancer treatments. We assumed value at a minimum of 50% points of the dose in agreement with the 3%/3 mm criterion as an acceptable compliance level. The recalculated dose distribution of QA plans in regard to the Collapse Cone algorithm in the other treatment planning system can be used as a pre-treatment verification method used by a medical physicist in their daily work. The effectiveness of use in iViewDose software, as a pre-treatment tool, is still debatable, unlike the MatriXX device.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

Accumulating evidence suggests a higher risk for cardiovascular diseases among individuals with mental disorders, but very little is known about the risk for overall and specific groups of cardiovascular diseases in people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). To fill this knowledge gap, we investigated the prospective associations between ADHD and a wide range of cardiovascular diseases in adults. In a nationwide population-based cohort study, we identified 5,389,519 adults born between 1941 and 1983, without pre-existing cardiovascular diseases, from Swedish registers. The study period was from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2013. Incident cardiovascular disease events were identified according to ICD codes. Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression model, with ADHD as a time-varying exposure. After an average 11.80 years of follow-up, 38.05% of individuals with ADHD versus 23.57% of those without ADHD had at least one diagnosis of cardiovascular disease (p<0.0001). ADHD was significantly associated with increased risk of any cardiovascular disease (HR=2.05, 95% CI: 1.98-2.13) after adjusting for sex and year of birth. Further adjustments for education level, birth country, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, dyslipidemia, sleep problems and heavy smoking attenuated the association, which however remained significant (HR=1.84, 95% CI: 1.77-1.91). Further adjustment for psychiatric comorbidities attenuated but could not fully explain the association (HR=1.65, 95% CI: 1.59-1.71). The strongest associations were found for cardiac arrest (HR=2.28, 95% CI: 1.81-2.87), hemorrhagic stroke (HR=2.16, 95% CI: 1.68-2.77), and peripheral vascular disease/arteriosclerosis (HR=2.05, 95% CI: 1.76-2.38). Stronger associations were observed in males and younger adults, while comparable associations were found among individuals with or without psychotropic medications and family history of cardiovascular diseases. These data suggest that ADHD is an independent risk factor for a wide range of cardiovascular diseases. They highlight the importance of carefully monitoring cardiovascular health and developing age-appropriate and individualized strategies to reduce the cardiovascular risk in individuals with ADHD.

Cardiovascular risk factors in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A family design study of Swedish conscripts.

OBJECTIVE: (1) investigate the associations of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with systolic and diastolic blood pressure, resting heart rate, pulse pressure (PP), physical fitness, and BMI; (2) explore whether cardiovascular risk factors and ADHD share genetic and environmental influences; (3) assess if pharmacological treatment for ADHD influences these associations. METHODS: We identified 395,978 individuals born between 1973 and 1991 who had military conscription examinations at a mean age of 18.3 years (SD = 0.57) and their full-siblings within the same cohort (N = 208,060) by linking population-based registers in Sweden. RESULTS: Significantly increased risk of ADHD was observed in individuals with low systolic blood pressure (SBP) and PP, low physical fitness, and in those who had overweight or obesity after adjustments (adjusted Odds Ratio [OR] ranging from 1.10 to 1.45). Full siblings of individuals with low SBP, low physical fitness, and obesity were more likely to receive an ADHD diagnosis compared to full siblings without those risk factors (OR ranging from 1.17 to 1.31). Additionally, analyses showed robust associations between ADHD and low SBP, low physical fitness, and obesity, even in ADHD medication-naïve individuals. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with several cardiovascular risk factors are more often diagnosed with ADHD, regardless of psychiatric comorbidity. These association are not explained by ADHD pharmacotherapy, rather, they are in part due to shared familial risk factors.