Table 1.
Characteristics of children and young people with ADHD in study of effect of treatment with methylphenidate
| Arrhythmias | Hypertension | Myocardial infarction | Ischemic stroke | Heart failure | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No of patients | 864 | 396 | 52 | 67 | 44 |
| Median (IQR) duration of exposure (years) | 0.5 (0.1-1.3) | 0.5 (0.1-1.3) | 0.5 (0.1-1.1) | 0.5 (0.2-1.3) | 0.3 (0.1-0.8) |
| Median (IQR) duration of exposure before events (years) | 0.04 (0-0.48) | 0.04 (0-0.48) | 0 (0-0.26) | 0 (0-0.42) | 0 (0-0.13) |
| Median (IQR) duration of exposure after events (years) | 0.20 (0.02-0.75) | 0.17 (0-0.70) | 0.17 (0.04-0.91) | 0.27 (0.04-0.83) | 0.12 (0-0.50) |
| Median (IQR) age at first exposure | 13 (10-15) | 13 (11-15) | 11 (8-14) | 11 (8-14) | 12 (10-16) |
| Median (IQR) age at first outcome | 13 (10-15) | 13 (10-16) | 11 (8-14) | 11 (8-14) | 13 (9-15) |
| No (%) of boys | 674 (78) | 317 (80) | 39 (75) | 51 (76) | 33 (75) |
| No (%) with congenital heart disease | 46 (5.3) | 31 (7.8) | 3 (5.8) | 2 (3.0) | 7 (15.9) |
| No (%) with comorbidity* (ICD-10 code): | |||||
| Depressive episode (F32-F33, F34.1, F41.2) | 223 (25.8) | 101 (25.5) | 15 (28.9) | 9 (13.4) | 12 (27.3) |
| Tic disorders (F95) | 76 (8.8) | 35 (8.8) | 7 (13.5) | 6 (9.0) | 2 (4.6) |
| Emotional disorders with onset specific to childhood (F93) | 77 (8.9) | 31 (7.8) | 5 (9.6) | 8 (11.9) | 5 (11.4) |
| Conduct disorders (F91) | 82 (9.5) | 34 (8.6) | 1 (1.9) | 3 (4.5) | 3 (6.8) |
| Manic episode (F30) | 7 (0.8) | 2 (0.5) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Bipolar affective disorder (F31) | 44 (5.1) | 15 (3.8) | 2 (3.9) | 3 (4.5) | 1 (2.3) |
| Mental retardation (F70-F79) | 75 (8.7) | 30 (7.7) | 4 (7.7) | 12 (17.9) | 2 (4.6) |
| No (%) with comedication† (ATC code): | |||||
| Atomoxetine | 15 (1.7) | 5 (1.2) | 2 (2.9) | 2 (2.9) | 0 (0.0) |
| Antipsychotics (ATC: N05A) | 114 (13.2) | 55 (13.9) | 7 (13.5) | 5 (7.5) | 2 (4.6) |
| Antidepressants (ATC: N06A) | 181 (21.0) | 78 (19.7) | 8 (15.4) | 12 (17.9) | 12 (27.3) |
| Antiepileptics (ATC: N03A) | 68 (7.9) | 37 (9.3) | 5 (9.6) | 17 (25.4) | 7 (15.9) |
| Anticholinergic agents (ATC: N04A) | 31 (3.6) | 19 (4.8) | 3 (5.8) | 2 (3.0) | 0 (0) |
| Anxiolotics (ATC: N05B) | 71 (8.2) | 36 (9.1) | 0 (0) | 4 (6.0) | 4 (9.1) |
IQR=interquartile range.
*Defined as at least one diagnosis or prescription between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2011.
†Defined as coprescription with methylphenidate during same period.