title: Adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is associated with asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is increasingly recognized as a common disorder not only in children, but also in the adult population. Similarly, asthma also has a substantial prevalence among adults. Previous studies concerning a potential relationship between ADHD and asthma have not presented consistent results.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of 594 adult patients diagnosed with ADHD, compared with 719 persons from the general population. Information was collected between 1997 and 2005 using auto-questionnaires rating past and present symptoms of ADHD, co-morbid conditions, including asthma, and work status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of asthma was significantly higher in the ADHD patient group compared to the controls, 24.4% vs. 11.3% respectively (OR = 2.54, 95% CI 1.89-3.44), and controls with asthma scored higher on ratings of both past and present symptoms of ADHD. Female ADHD patients had a significantly higher prevalence of asthma compared to male ADHD patients (30.9% vs. 18.2%, OR = 2.01, CI 1.36-2.95), but in controls a slight female preponderance was not statistically significant. In both ADHD patients and controls, having asthma was associated with an increased prevalence of symptoms of mood- and anxiety disorders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present findings point to a co-morbidity of ADHD and asthma, and these patients may represent a clinical and biological subgroup of adult patients with ADHD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine, Section for Psychiatry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. ole.fasmer@kliniskmedisin.uib.no
authors.forename: Ole Bernt
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Fasmer
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Halmøy
authors.forename: Tomas Mikal
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Eagan
authors.forename: Ketil Joachim
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Oedegaard
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haavik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D057566:Self Report; D012727:Sex Characteristics