The association between Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity-Disorder (ADHD) symptoms and disease severity in people with Cystic Fibrosis (pwCF)

Background: The hallmarks of Cystic fibrosis (CF), chronic infection and inflammation, require intensive daily treatment to maintain and improve quality of life and outcome. The incidence of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is increased in chronic inflammatory diseases. Previous studies suggested that the prevalence of ADHD in people with CF (pwCF) is higher than in the general population. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between ADHD symptoms and parameters of CF disease severity, measured by demographic and clinical data. Methods: Based on our previous study, the results of ADHD questionnaires and the MOXO–CPT (continuous performance task) from 143 pwCF (7–68 years old) were analyzed and linked to patient data such as forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁)%predicted, body mass index (BMI), number of pulmonary exacerbations, days of antibiotic (Abx) treatment and serum inflammatory markers. Results: A positive correlation between FEV₁ and ADHD questionnaire's score (p = 0.046) was observed in the children's group. Furthermore, BMI, white blood cells (WBC) count, and days of Abx treatment showed a positive correlation with some of the MOXO–CPT parameters. Conclusion: There is an association between ADHD symptoms and some parameters of CF disease severity. These results highlight the need for an early diagnosis of ADHD in pwCF, which have the potential to improve their ability to deal with the burden of their disease and consequently their quality of life. Additional research is needed to understand the full spectrum of ADHD pathophysiology and the relationship with chronic inflammatory diseases such as CF.