The prevalence of ADHD in children with enuresis: comparison between a tertiary and non-tertiary care sample.
OBJECTIVE
The main aim of the current study was to determine reliable comorbidity rates of ADHD for enuretic children admitted either to non-tertiary care or to a specialized paediatric clinic, i.e. tertiary care, since previous research has failed to incorporate a possible setting effect in this comorbidity; and to use a multi-method multi-informant assessment of ADHD.


METHODS
Eighty children, aged between 6 and 12 y, admitted to non-tertiary care with enuresis and 120 children referred to tertiary care were screened for the presence of ADHD using a multi-method (diagnostic interview, questionnaires) multi-informant (parents, teachers) assessment.


RESULTS
Enuretic children from the tertiary care sample have a 3.4 times increased chance of having comorbid ADHD when compared to children with enuresis admitted to non-tertiary care, corresponding to a prevalence rate of 28% and 10%, respectively. Overall, the tertiary care sample was older, showed more daytime incontinence and revealed an increasing prevalence of ADHD with older age when compared with the non-tertiary care group.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence rate of ADHD is increased in an enuretic population compared to community samples (3-5%). Moreover, enuretic children admitted to tertiary care show significantly higher comorbidity than non-tertiary care patients. The ADHD prevalence in the former group increases with older age, suggesting therapy resistance and a negative prognosis for enuresis in the case of comorbidity.
Department of Psychology, Developmental Disorders, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. dieter.baeyens@ugent.be
Dieter
D
Baeyens
Herbert
H
Roeyers
Leen
L
D'Haese
Femke
F
Pieters
Piet
P
Hoebeke
Johan
J
Vande Walle
D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D004775:Enuresis / Q000150:complications*; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008774:Methylphenidate