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Pediatric Stroke Doubles ADHD Risk
Pediatric ischemic stroke is associated with a 2-fold increased risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.
“The findings of this nationwide cohort study suggest that pediatric ischemic stroke was associated with a risk of ADHD irrespective of whether there was a family history of ADHD,” researchers wrote. “This risk was even higher if there were adverse motor outcomes and/or epilepsy after perinatal stroke.”
The study included 1320 children with ischemic stroke and no prior ADHD diagnosis from Sweden. Researchers compared them with 13,141 matched controls. Hazard ratios for ADHD after stroke were adjusted for parental age and ADHD in first-degree relatives.
According to the findings, 75 of the children with stroke were subsequently diagnosed with ADHD compared with 376 controls. The adjusted hazard ratio for ADHD after stroke was 2.00. Adjusted hazard ratios for ADHD were 2.75 after perinatal stroke and 1.82 after childhood stroke.
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ADHD risk was even higher among children with perinatal stroke and adverse motor outcomes and/or epilepsy. Adjusted hazard ratios were 6.17 with those comorbidities compared with 1.65 without them. For childhood stroke, the increased ADHD risk was similar regardless of the presence of comorbidities: adjusted hazard ratios were 1.80 for children with adverse motor outcomes and/or epilepsy and 1.92 for children without the comorbidities.
“Ongoing surveillance for signs of ADHD should form an important part of follow-up programs after pediatric strokes,” the authors advised, “especially if individuals have comorbid adverse motor outcomes or epilepsy.”
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