Efficacy of Aripiprazole Versus Placebo in the Reduction of Aggressive and Aberrant Behavior in Autistic Children

Autism Clinical Trial

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Official title:

Efficacy of Aripiprazole Versus Placebo in the Reduction of Aggressive and Aberrant Behavior in Autistic Children

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00468130
• Other study ID #: 0220055441
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: May 2006
• Est. completion date: November 2009

Study information

• Verified date: December 2021
• Source: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Hypothesis: (1) Aripiprazole treatment will be superior to placebo in reducing aggression and irritability in autistic individuals as shown by reductions in the Aberrant Behavior Checklist-irritability subscale.

(2) Aripiprazole treatment will be superior to placebo in the acute treatment of global autism severity.

The purpose of this study is to examine the possible benefit of the medication Aripiprazole in autistic individuals.

Description:

Aripiprazole is an atypical antipsychotic medication which is currently approved for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults. Multiple clinical trials in both children and adults have shown the effectiveness in the treatment of autism with medications like Aripiprazole. This study aims at assessing the effect of aripiprazole vs. placebo treatment on symptoms of irritability and aggression associated with autism, as well as the effect on the global severity of child and adolescent autistic disorder. Children or adolescent outpatients, with age ranges from 5-17, will be enrolled into an 8-week placebo controlled, double blind treatment study. During the 8 weeks, patients will be monitored by the treating psychiatrist. Study assessments will be administered at designated time points.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 13
• Est. completion date: November 2009
• Est. primary completion date: November 2009
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 5 Years to 17 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Meets DSM-IV, ADI-R criteria for autistic disorder.

• Age 5-17 years.

• Outpatients

• Parent or legal guardian willing to sign informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Subject has been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder (such as schizophrenia) or a mood disorder, including depression or bipolar disorder (manic depression).

• Subject has caused visible harm to him/herself.

• Subject has an active seizure disorder or epilepsy (seizures within the past year).

• Subject has an unstable medical illness, including heart disease.

• Subject has experienced brain injury.

• Subject has a history of diabetes.

• Subject reports significant improvement of autism symptoms and behaviors to current medication or other therapies.

• Subject has a history of prior treatment with Aripiprazole of 5 mg/day or higher for 6 weeks.

• Subject lives in a far away area and/or does not have regular access to transportation to the clinical facility.

• Subject is a pregnant female or unwilling to use acceptable contraception if sexually active.

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Aggression
• Autism
• Autistic Disorder

Intervention

Drug:
• Aripiprazole
Subjects under 40 kg will be started on 2.5mg per day of aripiprazole for the first week and increased to 5 mg at week 2. If clinically indicated (partial improvement with minimal or no side effects), the dosage will be increased each week by 2.5 mg until they reach a maximum of 10 mg at week 4. Medication will not be increased after week four but may be lowered in the case of adverse effects. Subjects over 40 kg will start at 5 mg and be increased to 10 mg at week 2. If clinically indicated, they will be increased each week by 5 mg until they reach a maximum of 20 mg at week 4. After week 4, the subject will remain on the same stable dose, unless the dose needs to be decreased due to adverse effects
• Placebos
Inactive tablet made to resemble active tablet Subjects under 40 kg will be started on 2.5mg per day of placebo for the first week and increased to 5 mg at week 2. If clinically indicated (partial improvement with minimal or no side effects), the dosage will be increased each week by 2.5 mg until they reach a maximum of 10 mg at week 4. Medication will not be increased after week four but may be lowered in the case of adverse effects. Subjects over 40 kg will start at 5 mg and be increased to 10 mg at week 2. If clinically indicated, they will be increased each week by 5 mg until they reach a maximum of 20 mg at week 4. After week 4, the subject will remain on the same stable dose, unless the dose needs to be decreased due to adverse effects

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Behavioral Health Care Building	Piscataway	New Jersey

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

References & Publications (1)

Aman M, Smgh N, Stewart A, Field C. The aberrant behavior checklist: a behavior rating scale for the assessment of treatment effects.Am J Ment Defic, 1985a;89(5):485 491 Campbell M, et al, Neuroleptic related dyskinesias in autistic children: a prospective longitudinal study, J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1997; 36(6): 835 43. Fomboime E. The epidemiology of autism: a review. Psychological Medicine, 1999; 29:769 786. Guy W. ECDEU assessment manual for psychopharmacology. Revised. NTMH Publication DHEW Publ No (adm.) 76 388. Bethesda, MD: National Institute of Mental Health, 1976; 217 222. McDougle CJ, Holmes JP, Bronson MR, Anderson GM, Volkmar FR, Price LH, Cohen DJ. Risperidone treatment of children and adolescents with pervasive developmental disorders: a prospective open label study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1997 May;36(5):685 93. Stahl SM. Dopamine system stabilizers, aripiprazole, and the next generation of antipsychotics, J Clin Psychiatry. 2001;62(l1).

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Clinical Global Impression Improvement (CGI-AD)	Clinical Global Impression Improvement (CGI)-AD (Guy, 1976). This is a standard rating scale with 7-point global severity and change scales which has been modified for Autistic Disorder. A rating of 2 is given when there is a substantial reduction in symptoms so that a treating clinician would be unlikely to change treatment. A rating of 1 is reserved for patients who become virtually symptom-free. A rating of 3 (minimally improved) on the CGI is defined as slight symptomatic improvement that is not deemed clinically significant. Administration time is approximately 2 minutes. Minimum is 1 and maximum is 5. A lower score indicates improvement, whereas a higher score indicates worsening.	Administered weekly, initial and week 8 reported
Secondary	Aberrant Behavior Checklist	Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) (irritability section) (Aman et al, 1985). The Aberrant Behavior Checklist assesses drug and other treatment effects on mentally retarded individuals. It consists of a five-factor scale comprising 58 items. We will use the Irritability section to assess aggressive and agitated behavior. While the internal consistency, validity and test-retest reliability were reported to be very good, inter-rater reliability was moderate (Aman et al, 1985). The ABC will be filled out by an informant, and then reviewed by the psychiatrist. Administration time is approximately 10 minutes. Maximum is 36, minimum is 0, a lower score indicates improvement.	Administered biweekly, initial and week 8 reported

External Links

•   Official site of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry