Analysis of Coexistence Rates of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Patients with Depression

Jeong, Mi Young; Park, Seo Young; Kim, Jung Ho; Im, Woo Young; Lee, Yeon Jung

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Cognitive dysfunction, including inattention, is often observed in patients with depression. Inattentive symptoms in patients with depression is similar to those among attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients. It is important to diagnose the two diseases accurately, because the treatment varies depending on the cause of inattention. This study aimed to investigate the coexistence rate of ADHD and the correlation between ADHD symptoms and depression in patients with depression.
METHODS
Participants in this study were 158 outpatients presenting with depression, who visited the psychiatric department from March 2015 to July 2018. Participants divided into a depression and a non-depression group according to the Korean version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) score and were administered the following : a sociodemographic variables form (age, sex, academic background, occupation), the self-reporting test for adult ADHD (Adult Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder self-report scale-V 1.1; ASRS V1.1), and the Korean version of the Connors adult ADHD rating scale (K-CAARS). Descriptive statistical analysis, crossover analysis, t-tests, and Pearson's correlation coefficient were conducted on the data.
RESULTS
The coexistence rate of adult ADHD symptom was as high as 36.7% in patients with depression (p<0.001). In K-CAARS, the depression group (Inattention=1.80, Hyperactivity=1.92, Impulsivity=1.56, Self-concept=2.06) showed higher average scores on ADHD symptoms than the non-depressive group (Inattention=1.28, Hyperactivity=1.25, Impulsivity=1.09, Self-concept=1.42, p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
This study confirmed that ADHD symptoms coexist in the depression group. When evaluating the symptoms of patients who complain of depression, it is suggested that they should be accurately diagnosed and appropriately treated with interest to the coexistence of ADHD symptoms and the possibility for ADHD diagnosis.