title: Does exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy affect the clinical features of ADHD? Results from a controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy may be a significant risk factor for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) independently of family history of ADHD. The main aim of this study was to examine whether the clinical profile of ADHD differs between children with and without exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a case-control study of boys and girls with and without ADHD ascertained from psychiatric and paediatric sources. Maternal smoking during pregnancy was defined by interviews with subjects' mothers. Main outcome measures were ADHD symptoms and associated clinical features in children with and without exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences were found between ADHD children with and without exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy on clinical characteristics. When these analyses were repeated in the subgroup of subjects without parental history of ADHD, there were also no statistically significant differences found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite adequate statistical power, no significant differences were found between ADHD children with and without exposure in the clinical features of ADHD and associated disorders. Results provide support for the notion that ADHD cases resulting from exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy have similar clinical profiles as other ADHD cases.
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Research Program in Pediatric Psychiatry, Psychiatry Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA. jbiederman@partners.org
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Biederman
authors.forename: Carter R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Petty
authors.forename: Pradeep G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Bhide
authors.forename: K Yvonne
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Woodworth
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Faraone
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D009538:Nicotine