[Clinical variability and characteristics of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in girls]

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobiological condition essentially characterised by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness, and has a prevalence of around 5%. Because it is a biological disorder, both boys and girls with ADHD display these same symptoms, but more boys are diagnosed with ADHD (in a ratio of 3 to 1).

To examine the differences between the two sexes, their prevalence and possible female subtypes in ADHD.

We conducted a retrospective study of 172 patients of both sexes who were attended as hospital neuropaediatric outpatients in the year 2004 according to Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-IV-TR) criteria. Their ages ranged between 4 and 14 years and they were divided into three groups: under 6, between 6 and 10, and from 11 to 14 years old. The girls were subdivided into four subtypes, in order of greater to lesser prevalence: shy, hypersociable, hyperactive and changeable.

Both sexes showed the same response to methylphenidate. Only the group of boys presented other comorbidities such as negativism and conduct disorders; approximately 25% of them required treatment with atypical neuroleptic drugs.

a) Girls have certain specific clinical manifestations within the three common symptoms; b) methylphenidate is equally effective in both sexes; c) only boys display other disorders such as negativism and conduct disorders; and d) the brains of males and females are quite similar, but symptoms are expressed differently depending on environments and levels.