Abstract
Objectives: To assess the impact of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on clinical characteristics of bipolar disorder (BPD) in hospitalized children and adolescents.
Method: Clinical characteristics of twenty 6-18 years old children and adolescents with BPD was assessed and compared in two groups of patients with or without ADHD, using K-SADS clinical interview and the clinical diagnosis of two child and adolescent psychiatrists.
Results: 35% of patients had a history of ADHD. The onset of BPD in the BPD+ADHD group was earlier. Comorbidity rates of other disorders were also higher in this group than in the group with pure ADHD.
Conclusion: It is likely that subjects with BPD+ADHD comprise a particular subgroup of bipolar patients. In this subgroup there is a higher rate of comorbidity and a lower age of mania onset the onset of the disorder is also usually of subacute type. Therefore, ADHD may be a harbinger of bipolar disorder in these children and adolescents.Rights and permissions | |
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