title: Patient characteristics, comorbidities, and medication use for children with ADHD with and without a co-occurring reading disorder: A retrospective cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often have a co-occurring reading disorder (RD). The purpose of this research was to assess differences between children with ADHD without RD (ADHD-only) and those with ADHD and co-occurring RD (ADHD+RD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Using data from the U.S. Thomson Reuter Marketscan® Databases for the years 2005 through 2007, this analysis compared the medical records--including patient demographics, comorbidities, and medication use--of children (age < 18) with ADHD-only to those with ADHD+RD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with ADHD+RD were significantly younger, more likely to have received a procedure code associated with formal psychological or non-psychological testing, and more likely to have been diagnosed with comorbid bipolar disorder, conduct disorder, or depression. They were no more likely to have received an antidepressant, anti-manic (bipolar), or antipsychotic, and were significantly less likely to have received a prescription for a stimulant medication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Relying on a claims database, there appear to be differences in the patient characteristics, comorbidities, and medication use when comparing children with ADHD-only to those with ADHD+RD.
authors.affiliation: Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, Indiana 46285 USA. Classi_Peter@lilly.com.
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Classi
authors.forename: Trong K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Le
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Johnston