the epidemiology of pharmacologically treated attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd) in children, adolescents and adults in uk primary care药物流行病学的治疗注意缺陷多动障碍(adhd)儿童、青少年和成人在英国的初级保健.pdf

McCarthy et al. BMC Pediatrics 2012, 12:78 /1471-2431/12/78 RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access The epidemiology of pharmacologically treated attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, adolescents and adults in UK primary care Suzanne McCarthy1,2*†, Lynda Wilton3†, Macey L Murray3†, Paul Hodgkins4†, Philip Asherson5† and Ian CK Wong3,6† Abstract Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by the symptoms of inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. ADHD was once perceived as a condition of childhood only; however increasing evidence has highlighted the existence of ADHD in older adolescents and adults. Estimates for the prevalence of ADHD in adults range from 2.5–4%. Few data exist on the prescribing trends of the stimulants methylphenidate and dexamfetamine, and the non-stimulant atomoxetine in the UK. The aim of this study was to investigate the annual prevalence and incidence of pharmacologically treated ADHD in children, adolescents and adults in UK primary care. Methods: The Health Improvement Network (THIN) database was used to identify all patients aged over 6 years with a diagnosis of ADHD/hyperkinetic disorder and a prescription for methylphenidate, dexamfetamine or atomoxetine from 2003–2008. Annual prevalence and incidence of pharmacologically treated ADHD were calculated by age category and sex. Results: The source population comprised 3,529,615 patients (48.9% male). A total of 118,929 prescriptions were recorded for the 4,530 patients in the pharmacologically treated ADHD cohort during the 6-year study. Prevalence (per 1000 persons in the mid-year THIN population) increased within each age category from 2003 to 2008 [6– 12 years: from 4.8 (95% CI: 4.5–5.1) to 9.2 (95% CI: 8.8–9.6); 13– 17 years: from 3.6 (95% CI: 3