Skip to main content
. 2014 Aug 1;24(6):302–310. doi: 10.1089/cap.2014.0020

Table 3.

Adjusted Hazard Ratios for Cardiovascular Disease in Children with ADHD

Variable Hazard ratio 95% Confidence interval
Medicine dosage (12 months before the cardiovascular event)
 No stimulant medication(reference) 1    
 Dosage <15 mg methylphenidate 1.43 0.57 3.59
 Dosage 15–30 mg methylphenidate 1.67 0.84 3.32
 Dosage >30 mg methylphenidate 2.24 1.20 4.21
Childa
 Male (0/1) 0.71 0.45 1.11
 5 min Apgar score 0.50 0.04 6.02
 Birth weight <1500 g 0.33 0.04 2.71
 Birth weight 1500–2500 g 1.07 0.52 2.19
 Birth weight >2500 g (reference) 1.00    
 Gestation length (weeks) 1.00 0.94 1.07
 Child health missing 0.67 0.05 9.43
 Complications at birth 1.21 0.80 1.85
 Heart disease at birth (Q20–28) 4.57 2.29 9.10
 Cardiovascular disease before age 5 2.77 1.22 6.32
 Diabetes 38.65 4.44 336.78
 Treatment with heart medication before age 5 0.86 0.13 5.70
 Any comorbid psychiatric condition 1.20 0.68 2.13
 Number of comorbid psychiatric diagnoses 1.21 1.05 1.39
 Comorbid affective or anxiety disorder 1.52 0.87 2.64
 Number of injuries before age 5 0.97 0.82 1.14
 Number of contacts with a hospital before age 5 1.04 1.02 1.07
 Number of visits to the emergency ward before age 5 1.11 0.98 1.27
Mothera
 Age 1.00 0.95 1.04
 Educational level, high school or less 1.00 0.54 1.84
 Length of education (years) 1.04 0.92 1.19
 Unemployed <13 weeks 0.90 0.46 1.78
 Unemployed 13–26 weeks 0.70 0.27 1.79
 Unemployed >26 weeks (reference) 1    
 Employed in November 1.16 0.71 1.91
 Psychiatric diagnoses 0.88 0.46 1.67
 Cardiovascular disease 1.31 0.61 2.83
 Respiratory disease 0.66 0.38 1.13
 Smoking during pregnancy 1.50 0.59 3.83
 Data on smoking missing 1.29 0.61 2.76
 Diabetes 0.80 0.10 6.39
 Cardiovascular medication (ATC-C code) 0.81 0.38 1.74
 Data on mother missing 2.66 0.37 19.22
Fathera
 Age 1.02 0.99 1.04
 Educational level, high school or less 1.02 0.54 1.95
 Length of education (years) 0.98 0.85 1.13
 Unemployed <13 weeks 1.09 0.46 2.57
 Unemployed 13–26 weeks 1.86 0.64 5.41
 Unemployed >26 weeks (reference) 1    
 Employed in November 1.64 0.82 3.29
 Psychiatric diagnosis 0.92 0.46 1.84
 Cardiovascular disease 0.78 0.33 1.85
 Respiratory disease 0.91 0.51 1.60
 Diabetes 1.95 0.46 8.25
 Cardiovascular medication (ATC-C code) 2.17 0.96 4.92
 Data on father missing 1.75 0.25 12.23
Regionsa
 Northern Jutland 0.68 0.25 1.83
 Central Jutland 0.88 0.52 1.49
 Southern Jutland 0.72 0.39 1.32
 Zealand 1.37 0.78 2.41
 Copenhagen area (reference) 1    

Observations: Days 23,736,162 /Individuals 8295.

Bold indicates a significant difference between the never and ever stimulant group at the 5% level.

a

Covariates measured when the child was 4 years of age, unless otherwise specified.

ADHD, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; ATC-C, anatomical therapeutic chemical code C.