Comorbid eating disorders in a Brazilian attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder adult clinical sample

Mattos P, Saboya E, Ayrao V, Segenreich D, Duchesne M, Coutinho G.

Grupo de Estudos do Deficit de Atencao, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. mattos@attglobal.net

Although comorbidity between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and eating disorders (ED) is relevant for clinical treatment, it is seldom investigated. METHODS: 86 DSM-IV attention deficity hyperactivity disorder patients out of 107 self-referred adults in a specialized center for attention deficity hyperactivity disorder were interviewed using SCID-R to evaluate the lifetime prevalence of ED and other comorbid conditions. RESULTS: Nine attention deficity hyperactivity disorder patients had comorbid eating disorders; binge eating disorder (BED) was the most common diagnosis. The group with eating disorders presented a higher prevalence of other comorbid disorders (p=0.02). No significant differences were found on gender, age at assessment, schooling level and type of attention deficity hyperactivity disorder between groups. CONCLUSION: Attention deficity hyperactivity disorder clinical samples may have a high prevalence of BED comorbidity. Patients with attention deficity hyperactivity disorder and eating disorders may have a different comorbid profile.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15729458&query_hl=3&itool=pubmed_docsum