Gender-related differences in characteristics and treatment response between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder...

Patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as well as those with comorbid autism spectrum disorder (ASD), often experience intellectual developmental challenges, social immaturity and social difficulties. However, there have been few detailed reports on the gender differences in these factors among Japanese children. To compare gender-based differences in characteristics and treatment responsiveness between ADHD children without ASD and those with ASD, we undertook a clinical survey of ADHD children.

Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence of ASD and by gender; ASD-based groups were further subdivided by gender, and the gender-based groups were further subdivided by ASD status. We compared patient background, including body mass index (BMI), ADHD characteristics, intelligence quotient (IQ), and treatment response between these groups.

Age at first examination and social intelligence quotient (SQ) were significantly lower in the male patients than in the female patients. ADHD Rating Scale (ADHD-RS) scores for hyperactivity disorder and total before treatment and ADHD-RS scores for hyperactivity disorder at the most recent follow-up in the male patients were higher than those in the female patients. In male patients, the initial IQ and SQ of the ASD-comorbidity group were lower than those of the ADHD-only group, but there were no significant differences in each ADHD-RS score, or BMI-standard deviation score.

These results suggest that male with ADHD tend to have stronger hyperactivity and impulsivity, with such hyperactivity and impulsivity persisting despite treatment and requiring adequate long-term management.