Current Status of ADHD Treatment in Children with Epilepsy: A Retrospective, Multicenter, Cross Sectional Analysis in Korea.
- Author:
So Hee EUN
1
;
Soonhak KWON
;
Young Se KWON
;
Sung Koo KIM
;
WonSeop KIM
;
Sang Ook NAM
;
Gi Youn SIM
;
Baik Lin EUN
;
Jun Hwa LEE
;
Yun Jung HUR
;
Tae Gyu HWANG
;
Chan Uhung JOO
;
Jung Soo KIM
;
Kyeoung Sook KIM
;
Sun Jun KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Pediatrics, Korea University College of Medicine, Korea.
- Publication Type:Multicenter Study ; Original Article
- Keywords:
Epilepsy;
Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder;
Child;
Treatment
- MeSH:
Aged;
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity;
Child;
Cross-Sectional Studies;
Epilepsies, Partial;
Epilepsy;
Epilepsy, Generalized;
Humans;
Korea;
Neurology;
Prevalence;
Republic of Korea;
Retrospective Studies;
Risk Factors;
Seizures
- From:
Journal of the Korean Child Neurology Society
2011;19(2):93-101
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the current therapeutic status of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children with epilepsy. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 178 patients aged 4-20 years from ten pediatric neurology clinics in eight cities in South Korea from January 2005 to July 2010 was used to assess clinical characteristics of ADHD patients with epilepsy and risk factors associated with ADHD. RESULTS: A total of 178 pediatric epileptic patients were recruited for this study. One hundred seventy-four subjects' (M:F=4:1, mean age: 12.2+/-3.3 yrs old) records were evaluated excluding four patients due to incomplete data. One hundred twenty-five of 174 patients (71.8%) had partial epilepsy and 45 had generalized epilepsy. Eighty of 112 patients showed ADHD combined type from the DSM IV. The mean prevalence rate of ADHD treatment among the epileptic patients was 1.9%. Over 45% of patients showed complete or persistent symptoms without difficulties in school life with CNS stimulants. Adverse reactions were reported in 19.8% of patients who received ADHD medication, and 18 patients discontinued ADHD medication due to severe adverse effects such as aggravated seizures (5.6%) or ADHD symptoms (3.7%). About 60% of children with ADHD and epilepsy had psychiatric comorbid disorders. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that ADHD treatment in epilepsy patients is safe and effective. However, these data also show that ADHD in pediatric epilepsy patients in Korea is under-diagnosed and under-treated.
