BACKGROUND: Course and predictors of persistence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults are still largely unknown. Neurobiological and clinical differences between child and adult ADHD raise the need for follow-up studies of patients diagnosed during adulthood. This study investigates predictors of ADHD persistence and the possibility of full remission 7 years after baseline assessment. METHOD: A 7-year follow-up study of adults with ADHD (n = 344, mean age 34.1 years, 49.9% males) was conducted. Variables from different domains (social demographics, co-morbidities, temperament, medication status, ADHD measures) were explored with the aim of finding potential predictors of ADHD persistence. RESULTS: Retention rate was 66% (n = 227). Approximately a third of the sample (n = 70, 30.2%) did not maintain ADHD criteria and 28 (12.4%) presented full remission (<4 symptoms), independently of changes in co-morbidity or cognitive demand profiles. Baseline predictors of diagnostic persistence were higher number of inattention symptoms [odds ratio (OR) 8.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.54-25.45, p < 0.001], number of hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.04-1.34, p = 0.01), oppositional defiant disorder (OR 3.12, 95% CI 1.20-8.11, p = 0.02), and social phobia (OR 3.59, 95% CI 1.12-11.47, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the stage of brain maturation in adults suggests stability, approximately one third of the sample did not keep full DSM-IV diagnosis at follow-up, regardless if at early, middle or older adulthood. Although full remission is less common than in childhood, it should be considered as a possible outcome among adults.
BACKGROUND: Course and predictors of persistence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults are still largely unknown. Neurobiological and clinical differences between child and adult ADHD raise the need for follow-up studies of patients diagnosed during adulthood. This study investigates predictors of ADHD persistence and the possibility of full remission 7 years after baseline assessment. METHOD: A 7-year follow-up study of adults with ADHD (n = 344, mean age 34.1 years, 49.9% males) was conducted. Variables from different domains (social demographics, co-morbidities, temperament, medication status, ADHD measures) were explored with the aim of finding potential predictors of ADHD persistence. RESULTS: Retention rate was 66% (n = 227). Approximately a third of the sample (n = 70, 30.2%) did not maintain ADHD criteria and 28 (12.4%) presented full remission (<4 symptoms), independently of changes in co-morbidity or cognitive demand profiles. Baseline predictors of diagnostic persistence were higher number of inattention symptoms [odds ratio (OR) 8.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.54-25.45, p < 0.001], number of hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.04-1.34, p = 0.01), oppositional defiant disorder (OR 3.12, 95% CI 1.20-8.11, p = 0.02), and social phobia (OR 3.59, 95% CI 1.12-11.47, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the stage of brain maturation in adults suggests stability, approximately one third of the sample did not keep full DSM-IV diagnosis at follow-up, regardless if at early, middle or older adulthood. Although full remission is less common than in childhood, it should be considered as a possible outcome among adults.
Authors: Sharlene Kaye; Josep Antoni Ramos-Quiroga; Geurt van de Glind; Frances R Levin; Stephen V Faraone; Steve Allsop; Louisa Degenhardt; Franz Moggi; Csaba Barta; Maija Konstenius; Johan Franck; Arvid Skutle; Eli-Torild Bu; Maarten W J Koeter; Zsolt Demetrovics; Máté Kapitány-Fövény; Robert A Schoevers; Katelijne van Emmerik-van Oortmerssen; Pieter-Jan Carpentier; Geert Dom; Sofie Verspreet; Cleo L Crunelle; Jesse T Young; Susan Carruthers; Joanne Cassar; Melina Fatséas; Marc Auriacombe; Brian Johnson; Matthew Dunn; Ortal Slobodin; Wim van den Brink Journal: J Atten Disord Date: 2016-02-27 Impact factor: 3.256
Authors: Susan Young; Jack Hollingdale; Michael Absoud; Patrick Bolton; Polly Branney; William Colley; Emily Craze; Mayuri Dave; Quinton Deeley; Emad Farrag; Gisli Gudjonsson; Peter Hill; Ho-Lan Liang; Clodagh Murphy; Peri Mackintosh; Marianna Murin; Fintan O'Regan; Dennis Ougrin; Patricia Rios; Nancy Stover; Eric Taylor; Emma Woodhouse Journal: BMC Med Date: 2020-05-25 Impact factor: 8.775
Authors: Maija Konstenius; Anders Leifman; Katelijne van Emmerik-van Oortmerssen; Geurt van de Glind; Johan Franck; Franz Moggi; Josep Antoni Ramos-Quiroga; Frances R Levin; Pieter Jan Carpentier; Arvid Skutle; Eli-Torild Bu; Sharlene Kaye; Zsolt Demetrovics; Csaba Barta; Marc Auriecomb; Melina Fatséas; Brian Johnson; Stephen V Faraone; Steve Allsop; Susan Carruthers; Robert A Schoevers; Sofie Verspreet; Geert Dom; Maarten W J Koeter; Wim van den Brink Journal: Addict Behav Date: 2016-10-24 Impact factor: 3.913
Authors: B S da Silva; R B Cupertino; D L Rovaris; J B Schuch; D B Kappel; D Müller; C E Bandeira; M M Victor; R G Karam; N R Mota; L A Rohde; V Contini; E H Grevet; C H D Bau Journal: Mol Psychiatry Date: 2017-05-02 Impact factor: 15.992
Authors: Arunima Roy; Lily Hechtman; L Eugene Arnold; Margaret H Sibley; Brooke S G Molina; James M Swanson; Andrea L Howard Journal: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry Date: 2016-09-02 Impact factor: 8.829
Authors: Arthur Caye; Alex V Spadini; Rafael G Karam; Eugenio H Grevet; Diego L Rovaris; Claiton H D Bau; Luis A Rohde; Christian Kieling Journal: Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry Date: 2016-03-28 Impact factor: 4.785
Authors: Margaret H Sibley; L Eugene Arnold; James M Swanson; Lily T Hechtman; Traci M Kennedy; Elizabeth Owens; Brooke S G Molina; Peter S Jensen; Stephen P Hinshaw; Arunima Roy; Andrea Chronis-Tuscano; Jeffrey H Newcorn; Luis A Rohde Journal: Am J Psychiatry Date: 2021-08-13 Impact factor: 18.112