Peanut Sensitivity and Allergic Rhinitis in Young Children are Associated with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Adolescence

Abstract

Mindy Ming-Huey Guo,1 Liang-Jen Wang,2 Te-Yao Hsu,3 Kuender D Yang,4,5 Ho-Chang Kuo1 1Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan; 2Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan; 3Department of Obstetrics, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan; 4Department of Pediatrics and Department of Medical Research, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; 5Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Mackay Medical School, Taipei, TaiwanCorrespondence: Kuender D YangDepartment of Pediatrics and Department of Medical Research, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei No. 92, Sec. 2, Zhongshan North. Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, TaiwanEmail [email protected] KuoDepartment of Pediatrics and Kawasaki Disease Center, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 123 Da-Pei Road, Niaosong District, Kaohsiung 83301, TaiwanTel [phone] ext. 8795Fax [phone]Email [email protected]: Although childhood allergic diseases have been found to be associated with symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, the temporal relationship between these diseases remains unclear. In this study of 97 children, clinical examination and blood samples for total and specific IgE were collected at 6 and 12 years old.Patients and Methods: We followed a total of 97 children from 6 to 12 years old. Clinical examination and blood samples for total and specific IgE were collected at 6 and 12 years old. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder symptoms at 12 years old were evaluated using the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham, Version IV Scale Parent Form.Results: After accounting for the affect of confounding variables, we found that allergic rhinitis at 6 years old was associated with higher inattention score at 12 years old (β-coefficient 0.356, 95% CI 0.104– 0.609, p = 0.006). In addition, higher specific IgE levels for peanuts at 6 years of age were correlated with higher hyperactivity/impulsivity scores (β-coefficient 0.088, 95% CI 0.049– 0.126, p < 0.001), and higher specific IgE for peanuts at 12 years of age were correlated with higher opposition/defiance scores (β-coefficient 0.054, 95% CI 0.012– 0.096, p = 0.012) at 12 years old in our final linear regression models.Conclusion: Allergic rhinitis and peanut sensitization in childhood may be associated with more symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity and oppositional defiant disorder in adolescence.Keywords: allergic disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder

Keywords

• allergic disease
• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
• oppositional defiant disorder