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Neuropediatrics 2025; 56(03): 172-179
DOI: 10.1055/a-2541-8540
Original Article

Risk Factors for Psychiatric Disorders in Pediatric Patients with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex

Jianqing Cao 
1   Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, China
,
Meilin Liu 
2   The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Graduate School, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
,
Tianyan Zhang 
3   Department of Clinical Psychology, Hangzhou Children's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
,
Hongling Chen
4   Department of Neonatology, Shaoxing Second Hospital, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
,
Zhanli Liu 
5   Department of Neurology, Hangzhou Children's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
› Author Affiliations
Funding This work was supported by grants from Hangzhou Biomedicine and Health Industry Development Support Project (grant no. 2022WJC171).
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Abstract

Objective

To identify and evaluate risk factors for psychiatric disorders in pediatric patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC).

Methods

We recruited 121 children with TSC from the Hangzhou Children's Hospital between April 2021 and December 2023. Four clinical psychiatric scales were used to screen and diagnose the psychiatric comorbidities of TSC: the autism behavior checklist, the SNAP-IV scale, and the self-rating anxiety and depression scales. Risk factors related to each psychiatric disorder were analyzed using univariate and multivariate regression analyses.

Results

Comorbid psychiatric disorders were found in 70 (57.85%) children: 51 (42.15%) cases had autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 49 (40.50%) cases had attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 17 (14.05%) cases had anxiety, and 14 (11.57%) cases had depression. Uni- and multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that seizure frequency (>1/month; OR = 6.206, P = 0.021), use of anti-seizure medications (≥ 2 types; OR = 118.869, P = 0.003), infantile spasms (OR = 25.748, P = 0.000), ADHD (OR = 11.170, P = 0.001), and intellectual disability (OR = 32.131, P = 0.001) were risk factors for TSC children with ASD; ASD was the only risk factor for occurrence of ADHD (OR = 7.302, P = 0.022). Seizure duration (≥ 2 years; OR = 56.200, P = 0.036) and seizure frequency (>1/month; OR = 25.855, P = 0.027) were closely related to occurrence of anxiety and/or depression disorders in pediatric patients with TSC.

Conclusion

The study results showed that psychiatric comorbidities of children with TSC had a high incidence and risk factors. The study provides new insights into the diagnosis and treatment of comorbid psychiatric disorders in pediatric patients with TSC.

Keywords

tuberous sclerosis complex - psychiatric disorders - children - risk factors


Publication History

Received: 10 August 2024

Accepted: 10 February 2025

Article published online:
05 March 2025

© 2025. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

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