Höfundar:
Unnur Jakobsdóttir Smári, Unnur Anna Valdimarsdóttir, Henrik Larsson, Thor Aspelund, Catharina A. Hartman, Helga Zoega
Objective: We aimed to determine the prevalence of cardiometabolic conditions among women with ADHD. Furthermore, we examined associations of co-occurring ADHD and cardiometabolic conditions, with anxiety and mood disorders, alcoholism/substance use disorder (SUD), self-harm, and suicide attempts.
Method:
Population: 26,873 women from nationwide population-based SAGA Cohort Study.
Measures: Self-reported ADHD, cardiometabolic conditions (obesity, hypertension, type-2 diabetes, heart attack), anxiety and mood disorders, alcholism/SUD, history of self-harm and suicide attempts and symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTSD (using PHQ-9, GAD-7, PCL-5).
Data analysis: We calculated age-adjusted prevalence of cardiometabolic conditions among women with and without ADHD. We assessed age-adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of relevant disorders and symptoms, among women with cardiometabolic conditions with and without ADHD.
Results: We identified 2299 (8.6%) women with ADHD. Age-adjusted prevalence of all cardiometabolic conditions was higher among women with ADHD than without, e.g. type-2 diabetes, PR=2.15 (95%CI 1.68-2.73). Women with cardiometabolic conditions and co-occurring ADHD were at increased risk of having all measured psychiatric disorders and symptoms, and of having history of self-harm or suicide attempts, compared with women without ADHD, e.g. depression, PR=3.96 (95% CI 3.44-4.56).
Conclusion: ADHD in women is associated with cardiometabolic conditions. Women with co-occurring cardiometabolic conditions and ADHD are at increased risk of developing anxiety and mood disorders and alcoholism/SUD, as well as being at increased risk of having history of self-harm and suicide attempts. Clinicians need to be vigilant about the co-occurrence of these conditions when treating women with ADHD.