This systematic review and meta-analysis, published in Pediatric Research, looks at differences in ADHD symptoms and diagnosis between adults born at term and preterm. The goal was to understand the relationship among gestational age, birth length, birth size, and adult ADHD. The study used ADHD symptom self-report and diagnosis data and birth data from multiple databases.
Ultimately, it was found that adults born preterm report similar levels of ADHD symptoms as those born at term. However, their risk of ADHD diagnosis in adulthood was found to be significantly higher. Moreover, among adults born preterm, it was found that as gestation length and birth size increased, the risk for ADHD diagnosis in adulthood significantly decreased.
This study is important because it provides more robust evidence to support the relationship between preterm birth and ADHD diagnosis in adulthood. It also highlights the need for preventive strategies and interventions to decrease the severity of ADHD symptoms in adulthood, particularly for adults who were born preterm [1].
Source:
[1] Robinson, R., Girchenko, P., Pulakka, A., Heinonen, K., Lähdepuro, A., Lahti-Pulkkinen, M., Hovi, P., Tikanmäki, M., Bartmann, P., Lano, A., Doyle, L. W., Anderson, P. J., Cheong, J. L. Y., Darlow, B. A., Woodward, L. J., Horwood, L. J., Indredavik, M. S., Evensen, K. A. I., Marlow, N., . . . Räikkönen, K. (2022). ADHD symptoms and diagnosis in adult preterms: systematic review, IPD meta-analysis, and register-linkage study. Pediatric Research. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-021-01929-1
