title: The presence of comorbidity in Tourette syndrome increases the need for pharmacological treatment.
abstract: Tourette syndrome is often accompanied by other syndromes, like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and its treatment is symptomatic. Because there are no European guidelines for pharmacological treatment in Tourette syndrome, we wanted to contribute to a better insight into the common practice in Scandinavia. Furthermore, we wanted to elaborate the influence of the presence of comorbidities and of the severity of tics on pharmacological treatment. We have examined the frequency, art, and reason for pharmacological treatment in a Danish clinical cohort of 314 children with Tourette syndrome. In total, 60.5% of the children once had received pharmacological treatment. Mostly, the treatment was started because of tics or ADHD. If ADHD or obsessive-compulsive disorder were present, more children received pharmacological treatment and more different agents were tried. The children who received pharmacological treatment had more severe tics than those without medication.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Department, Glostrup University Hospital, Denmark. nanettemol@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Nanette M M M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Debes
authors.forename: Helle
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hjalgrim
authors.forename: Liselotte
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Skov
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009480:Neuropharmacology / Q000379:methods; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012537:Scandinavian and Nordic Countries / Q000453:epidemiology; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005879:Tourette Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors