Epileptiform abnormalities in children with attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder.

Full Abstract

The proportion of children with attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder and epileptiform abnormalities is compared with an historic control group of normal school-aged children. The medical records of 655 children 5-16 years of age referred to a single pediatric neurologist (M.S.) from January 1991 to December 1999 with school problems, behavior problems, or hyperactivity were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical criteria for attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder were satisfied in 476 of these children. An electroencephalogram was obtained from 347 patients and coded as epileptiform in 6.1 +/- 1.3%, which is significantly higher (chi-square test, P < 0.025) than the prevalence rate of 3.5 +/- 0.6% observed in a study of 3,726 normal school-aged children. The epileptiform abnormality was present only with activation procedures in six of our patients (hyperventilation [n = 2] and photic stimulation [n = 4]). Only three of the 21 children with epileptiform abnormalities developed a seizure disorder in our cohort. We conclude that the prevalence rate of epileptiform abnormalities is greater in children with attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder compared with that observed in normal school-aged children when hyperventilation and photic stimulation are used. However, the clinical utility of routine electroencephalography in the diagnosis of a comorbid seizure disorder in children with attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder is limited.

Author information

Author/s: Richer, Lawrence P (LP); Shevell, Michael I (MI); Rosenblatt, Bernard R (BR);

Affiliation: Department of Neurology, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Pediatric neurology (Pediatr Neurol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Feb; vol 26 (issue 2) : pp 125-9

Dates: Created 2002/03/18; Completed 2002/05/30; Revised 2006/05/23;

PMID: 11897476, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

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