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Study links ADHD medication with lower BMD in children and adolescents
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Investigators of this study found children and adolescents who took prescribed medication for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder had lower bone mineral density measures for the total femur, femoral neck and lumbar spine compared with those who did not take such medications.
Using three waves of the CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in which bone mineral density (BMD) was assessed using dual-energy X-ray scans, researchers identified 5,135 participants aged 8 years to 17 years. Participants self-reported prescription medication use within the past month and, in some cases, guardians of the participant reported the child’s use. Participants were categorized into either the non-medicated group, patients who used medication for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or those who used other medications.
Results showed the differences in BMD between the group taking ADHD medication and the non-medicated group was -0.4855 for the total femur and -0.4671 for femoral neck. For the lumbar spine, this difference was -0.3947. Investigators noted 38.3% of participants in the ADHD medication group had a BMD within the osteopenic range compared with 21.6% of patients in the non-medication group, and this difference was significant. ‒ by Monica Jaramillo
Disclosure: The study was supported by a post-doctoral fellowship from the Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education.
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