ADHD Associated with Asthma, Allergies

Children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be more likely to be diagnosed with asthma as well, according to the results of a study conducted in Korea.

The study, published online on March 10, 2014, in BMC Psychiatry, analyzed the prevalence of ADHD and allergic disease in first- and second-grade students from 22 elementary schools. Child psychiatrists conducted clinical interviews and diagnostic tests to identify children with ADHD. Parents completed questionnaires to provide information about allergic conditions, including asthma.

The results indicated a significant relationship between ADHD and asthma. The lifetime prevalence rate of asthma in children with ADHD was 36.6%, compared with 24.3% among those without ADHD. In addition, the risk for developing asthma was 1.60 times higher among children with ADHD than among those without the behavioral disorder. ADHD was also significantly associated with allergic rhinitis; 59% of children with ADHD also had allergic rhinitis, compared with 47% of those without ADHD. The relative risk for allergic rhinitis was also 1.38 times higher among children with ADHD.

“[F]urther research is needed to determine the etiological approach towards ADHD, asthma, and allergic rhinitis,” the authors of the study conclude.