Is there an association between perinatal complications and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder-inattentive type in children and adolescents?

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study is to investigate the association between attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), predominantly inattentive type (ADHD-I) and prenatal, delivery and early postnatal complications (PDPC). METHOD: In a case-control design, we assessed a sample of 124 children and adolescents with ADHD-I and 124 non-ADHD controls (6-17 years old) from both a non-referred (n = 200) and a clinical sample (n = 48). Cases and controls, matched by gender and age, were systematically evaluated through structured diagnostic interviews. Prenatal, delivery and early postnatal complications (PDPC), as well as potential confounders were evaluated by direct interview with biological mothers. RESULTS: Conditional logistic regression analysis showed that children and adolescents whose mothers presented more PDPC had a significantly higher risk for ADHD-I (p = 0.005; OR = 1.25; CI 95% 1.1-1.5). CONCLUSIONS: In a case-control study, we expanded to ADHD-I previous findings suggesting the association between perinatal factors and broadly defined ADHD. Due to the preventable nature of some of these PDPC, our results have clear impact in public mental health policies.