Is attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder increased in patients with celiac disease?

Abstract

Background: Some studies have shown that neurological and mental disorders in children with celiac disease are higher than in the general population. The aim of this study is to find frequency of ADHD in celiac patients. Result: The findings of the study showed that the frequency of ADHD in males was 6 cases (22.2%) and 6 cases (18.2%) in females, and although the ADHD score was higher in males, there was no significant difference in sex (P = 0.697). The frequency of ADHD in terms of age group also showed that there were no hyperactive children in the age group under 5 years of age; in the age group of 5–9 years old, 8 cases (28.6%); in the age group of 10 to 14 years old, 4 cases (19%); and in the age group of 15 and older, no one was diagnosed with ADHD. The chi-square test showed that the frequency of ADHD in terms of age group was not significantly different (P = 0.26). It should be noted that according to Pearson correlation test, there was a reverse correlation between the age and ADHD, but it was not statistically significant (P = 0.33). Conclusions: The frequency of ADHD among boys and girls with celiac disease was 22.2% and 18.2%, respectively.