Adult attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: one year follow up

This study aimed to find out phenomenology, stability of diagnosis, comorbidities, impairments and treatment status of the adults with ADHD one year follow up as there are no such data.

20 subjects (all males, mean age 25.1+/-6.2 yr) with adult ADHD (DSM-IV-TR) were followed up at mean 1.3+/-0.2 yr after their diagnosis. Phenomenological assessments were done using ASRS v1.1, WMH-CIDI, ADHD-RS and clinical assessment where required. Diagnoses of ADHD and comorbidities were made using DSM-IV-TR. Global functioning was also assessed using GAF.

19 (95%) of the 20 subjects could be followed up. All (100%) of them could again be diagnosed having ADHD according to DSM-IV-TR criteria. However, the symptoms declined in severity over a period of one year. Diagnosis of 2 (10.5%) subjects of ADHD-CT was changed to ADHD-IA. 1 (5.3%) subject each of ADHD-IA and ADHD-NOS types went into partial remission. Substance abuse was increased at the follow up from 26.3 to 47.4 per cent. Rates of the other comorbidities did not change during the follow up. Only 3 (15.8%) subjects adhered to the prescribed treatment at the follow up. Global functioning of the adherent group improved significantly at the follow up (t = 6.000, P = 0.027).

Adult ADHD has diagnostic stability at one year follow up. The adult ADHD subjects remained highly comorbid with other psychiatric disorders including increased substance abuse at the follow up. Only 10.5 per cent subjects remained in the regular follow up. The above findings suggest that the patients with adult ADHD should be properly psycho-educated and regularly followed up.