title: Variation in Presentation, Diagnosis, and Management of Children and Adolescents With ADHD Across European Countries.
abstract: To characterize differences in presentation, diagnosis, and management of children/adolescents with ADHD in six European countries.
  
  
  
  Physicians abstracted clinical records for patients aged 6 to 17 years, diagnosed from 2004 to 2007 and treated for ≥2 years. Documentation included impairment due to core ADHD symptoms and additional ADHD symptoms/behaviors at diagnosis, diagnostic approach, and treatment modality.
  
  
  
  Study included 779 patients treated by 340 physicians. Prevalence of ADHD subtypes (inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, or combined) was similar across countries. Mean scores for core and noncore symptom impairment varied and were highest in Italy and the United Kingdom. Variability was noted in diagnostic approach; 95% of physicians in the Netherlands used Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edition) criteria versus 10% in Germany. Differences were reported for initial treatment modality, treatment switching, and physician-reported treatment outcomes.
  
  
  
  European countries varied in diagnostic approaches and practice management of children/adolescents with ADHD.
authors.affiliation: 1 Shire, Wayne, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Setyawan
authors.affiliation: 2 AMF Consulting, Inc., Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fridman
authors.affiliation: 1 Shire, Wayne, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grebla
authors.affiliation: 3 Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, UK.
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Harpin
authors.affiliation: 2 AMF Consulting, Inc., Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Korst
authors.affiliation: 4 Hospital Universitario Infanta Leonor, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Quintero
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: ADHD; Europe; diagnosis; management; variation