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Study design, baseline patient characteristics and intervention in a cross-cultural framework: results from the ADORE study

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Abstract

Objective

To describe the methodology and to present the baseline findings of the Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder Observational Research in Europe (ADORE) study, the primary objective of which is to describe the relationship between treatment regimen prescribed and quality of life of children with ADHD in actual practice.

Methods

In this 2-year prospective observational study, data on diagnosis, prescribed treatment and outcomes of ADHD were collected at seven time points by paediatricians and child psychiatrists on 1,573 children recruited in 10 European countries. The data presented here from the 1,478 patients included in the analyses describe the baseline condition, initial treatment regimen prescribed and quality of life of families with children with ADHD.

Results

Patients had a mean age of 9.0 years (SD 2.5) and 84% were male. Physicians diagnoses were made using DSM-IV (43 %), ICD-10 (32%) and both DSM-IV and ICD-10 (12 %). Mean age of awareness of a problem was 5.1 years, suggesting an average delay of approximately 4 years between awareness and diagnosis of ADHD. Baseline ADHD rating scale scores (physicianrated) indicated moderate to severe ADHD. Parent-rated SDQ scores were in agreement and suggested significant levels of co-existing problems. CGI-S, CGAS and CHIPCE scores also indicated significant impairment. Patients were offered the following treatments after the initial assessment: pharmacotherapy (25 %), psychotherapy (19 %), combination of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy (25 %), other therapy (10 %) and no treatment (21 %).

Conclusion

The ADORE study shows that ADHD is similarly recognised across 10 European countries and that the children are significantly impaired across a wide range of domains. In this respect, they resemble children described in previous ADHD samples.

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Abbreviations

ADHD:

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

ADORE:

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder Observational Research in Europe

ADHD-RS-IV:

ADHD Rating Scale-IV

CD:

Conduct Disorder

CHIP-CE:

Child Health and Illness Profile – Child Edition

CGAS:

Children's Global Assessment Scale

CGI-S:

Clinical Global Impression-Severity scale

FSI:

Family Strain Index

HD:

Hyperkinetic Disorder

HRQoL:

Health-Related Quality of Life

ODD:

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

SDQ:

Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire

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Correspondence to Ulrich Preuss.

Additional information

* Members of the Adore Study Group G Baldursson, D Coghill, P Curatolo, S Dalsgaard, M Döpfner, B Falissard, A Hervas, MF Le Heuzey, TS Nøvik, RR Pereira, U Preuss, S Ralston, P Rasmussen, AW Riley, A Rothenberger, G Spiel, HC Steinhausen, L Vlasveld

**Employed by Eli Lilly and Company at the time the research was performed

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Preuss, U., Ralston**, S.J., Baldursson, G. et al. Study design, baseline patient characteristics and intervention in a cross-cultural framework: results from the ADORE study. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 15 (Suppl 1), i4–i14 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-006-1002-0

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