Adult ADHD and Comorbid Somatic Disease: A Systematic Literature Review.
To systematically review, synthesize, and appraise available evidence, connecting adult ADHD with somatic disease.



Embase, Psychinfo, and Medline databases were searched for studies published from 1994 to 2015 addressing adult ADHD and somatic comorbidity. Somatic conditions were classified according to International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) codes. Levels of evidence were graded as inconclusive, tentative, or well documented.



Most of the 126 studies included in the qualitative synthesis were small and of modest quality. Obesity, sleep disorders, and asthma were well-documented comorbidities in adult ADHD. Tentative evidence was found for an association between adult ADHD and migraine and celiac disease. In a large health registry study, cardiovascular disease was not associated with adult ADHD.



There are few large systematic studies using standardized diagnostic criteria evaluating adult ADHD and somatic comorbidities. Significant associations are found between adult ADHD and several somatic diseases, and these are important to consider when assessing and treating either adult ADHD or the somatic diseases.
1 Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Norway.|3 K.G. Jebsen Centre for Neuropsychiatric Disorders, University of Bergen, Norway.
Johanne Telnes
JT
Instanes
2 Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Norway.|4 Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Bergen, Norway.
Kari
K
Klungsøyr
1 Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Norway.|3 K.G. Jebsen Centre for Neuropsychiatric Disorders, University of Bergen, Norway.|5 Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
Anne
A
Halmøy
3 K.G. Jebsen Centre for Neuropsychiatric Disorders, University of Bergen, Norway.|5 Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.|6 Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Norway.
Ole Bernt
OB
Fasmer
1 Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Norway.|3 K.G. Jebsen Centre for Neuropsychiatric Disorders, University of Bergen, Norway.|5 Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
Jan
J
Haavik
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*
adult ADHD; asthma; migraine; review; sleep disorders
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