Prevalence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Pediatrics Patients Newly Diagnosed with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Abstract

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><strong><em>Background: </em></strong>Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is associated with a number of comorbidities in pediatrics. However, its association with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has not been reported. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of ADHD in pediatric patients newly diagnosed with GERD.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><strong><em>Materials and Methods: </em></strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Si</span>xty newly-diagnosed treatment naive GERD patients and sixty healthy controls aging between 5 to 12 years referring to the Children and Adolescent's medical center, Tehran, Iran were recruited in a case-control study during the year 2015. Then patients were evaluated for ADHD by a psychiatrist according to the DSM-IV criteria. The revised Conners' Parent Rating Scale (CPRS-R) was used for assessment of the symptoms of ADHD. To screen for psychiatry disorders other than ADHD, the Kiddie-Sads-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL) questionnaire was used. Logistic regression analysis was used for modeling the association between GERD and ADHD in the study sample.</span><br /> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><strong><em>Results: </em></strong>The mean age of GERD patients was 5.77±2.27 and for non-GERD controls was 6.03±2.52 (P= 0.543). Thirty-three out of 60 (55%) GERD patients and 37 out of 60(61.66%) non-GERD controls were male (P: 0.579). Prevalence of ADHD was 33.60 (55%) in GERD patients and 10.60 (16.66%) in non-GERD (P<0.001). Data analysis revealed that being diagnosed with GERD was associated with higher odds of ADHD diagnosis (P<0.001; odds ratio [OR]: 6.88, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.8-16.9). </span><br /> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><strong><em>Conclusion: </em></strong>According to the results, diagnosis of GERD was associated with higher odds of being diagnosed with ADHD. </span>