Substance use disorders in association with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, co-morbid mental disorders, and medication in a nationwide sample.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The association of substance use disorders (SUD) with attention-deficit disorder (ADHD), co-morbid mental disorders, and medication has only been studied in isolation and in rather small samples.

PROCEDURE:

Data were based on four Danish national registers covering a total of 20,742 patients with ADHD, their dispensed medications, co-morbid mental disorders, and associated SUD between 1994 and 2010. The analyses considered the risk of various medications (methylphenidate only, antidepressants only, antipsychotic only, mixed medication) in comparison to a control group of non-medicated patients with ADHD, various co-morbid disorders, duration of medication, age at diagnosis, year of birth, and sex for developing SUD.

RESULTS:

The observation period of the cohort ranged between 2.25 and 66.21 years and the prevalence for SUD was 9.51%. The SUD rates were significantly higher prior to, compared to following the onset of medication in the methylphenidate and the mixed medication subgroup, whereas they were significantly higher following onset of medication in the antidepressants and the antipsychotics subgroups. However, the SUD rates were significantly higher in all drug conditions except for methylphenidate after onset of medication compared to the non-medicated subgroup. Risk factors obtained by regression analysis did not include methylphenidate but did include antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mixed medications, in combination with co-morbid mood, anxiety, personality, and conduct disorders, and older age at diagnosis. Longer duration of medication and female sex were protective factors.

CONCLUSIONS:

This representative study based on a large nationwide psychiatric sample provides solid evidence into the patterns of SUD in patients with ADHD based on medication use and co-morbidities.

• Authors: Hans-Christoph Steinhausen, Charlotte Bisgaard
• Journal: European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (Eur Neuropsychopharmacol) Vol. 24 Issue 2 Pg. 232-41 (Feb 2014) ISSN: 1873-7862 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 24314850 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V. and ECNP.

Chemical References

• Antidepressive Agents
• Antipsychotic Agents
• Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors
• Methylphenidate

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Antidepressive Agents (therapeutic use)
• Antipsychotic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity (drug therapy, epidemiology)
• Child
• Cohort Studies
• Comorbidity
• Denmark (epidemiology)
• Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors (therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Mental Disorders (drug therapy, epidemiology)
• Methylphenidate (therapeutic use)
• Prevalence
• Registries
• Risk Factors
• Substance-Related Disorders (drug therapy, epidemiology)
• Young Adult