Review of literature of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with comorbid eating disorders.
OBJECTIVE
According to studies of prevalence, up to 70% of adults with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder have at least one psychiatric comorbidity, which leads to diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties as well as more severe functional impairment. There is a paucity of data on the comorbidity of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and eating disorders. The objective of this study was to review the literature regarding the attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder/eating disorders comorbidity, performing a critical analysis of relevant data.


METHODS
Articles in Medline, Lilacs, SciELO, ISI and PsycINFO databases from 1980 up to 2008, were searched. The references from the articles were used as additional sources of data.


RESULTS
Fourteen articles were found: five prevalence studies, four case reports, three case-control studies, one symptom-assessment study of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and eating disorders, and one article regarding possible causes of the association between attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and eating disorders. These articles suggested that adult women with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder are at higher risk of developing eating disorders, especially bulimia nervosa. Bulimia Nervosa rates found in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder groups ranged from 1% to 12%, versus 0% to 2% in control groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Although there seems to be a relationship between attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and eating disorders, the reduced number of studies available, with various methodologies, and small sample sizes limit the generalization of the findings.
Nazar
Bruno Palazzo
BP
Attention-Deficit Study Group (GEDA), Institute of Psychiatry (IPUB), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. bruno.nazar@gmail.com.br
Pinna
Camilla Moreira de Sousa
CM
Coutinho
Gabriel
G
Segenreich
Daniel
D
Duchesne
Monica
M
Appolinario
José Carlos
JC
Mattos
Paulo
P
D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence