Oral Administration of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) for 6 Months in Chronically Constipated Autistic Children

Constipation Clinical Trial

Official title:

Gut Mobilization With Oral Administration of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) at the Dose of 6.9 g/d Once a Day for 6 Months in Chronically Constipated Autistic Children.

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05025553
• Other study ID #: PEG_study_ASD
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: January 1, 2018
• Est. completion date: February 1, 2021

Study information

• Verified date: August 2021
• Source: University of Messina
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Many autistic children suffer from chronic constipation. Gut mobilization was obtained administering polyethylene glycol (PEG) at the dose of 6.9 g/d once a day for 6 months in an open trial involving 21 chronically constipated autistic children 2-8 years old, followed prospectively for 6 months. Children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder by DSM-5 and confirmed by ADOS-2 criteria, were evaluated before (T0), 1 month (T1), and 6 months (T2) after intestinal mobilization, recording Bristol stool scale scores, urinary p-cresol concentrations, and behavioral scores for social interaction deficits, stereotypic behaviors, anxiety, and hyperactivity.

Description:

Chronic constipation is common among children with ASD and is associated with more severe anxiety, hyperactivity, irritability and repetitive behaviors. Young autistic children with chronic constipation display higher urinary and foecal concentrations of p-cresol, an aromatic compound produced by gut bacteria, known to negatively affect brain function. Acute p-cresol administration to BTBR mice enhances anxiety, hyperactivity and stereotypic behaviors, while blunting social interaction. This study was undertaken to prospectively assess the behavioral effects of gut mobilization in young autistic children with chronic constipation, and to verify their correlation with urinary p-cresol. To this aim, 21 chronically constipated autistic children 2-8 years old were evaluated before (T0), 1 month (T1), and 6 months (T2) after intestinal mobilization, recording Bristol stool scale scores, urinary p-cresol concentrations, and behavioral scores for social interaction deficits, stereotypic behaviors, anxiety, and hyperactivity. Gut mobilization was obtained administering PEG (6.9 g/d once a day) for 6 months. A progressive, statistically significant decrease in all behavioral symptoms was recorded over the six-month study period. Urinary p-cresol levels displayed variable trends, mainly increasing at T1 and decreasing at T2. These results support gut mobilization as a simple strategy to at least partly ameliorate ASD symptoms, as well as comorbid anxiety and hyperactivity, in chronically constipated children. These beneficial effects likely involve multiple mechanisms.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 21
• Est. completion date: February 1, 2021
• Est. primary completion date: January 1, 2021
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 2 Years to 8 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Fulfilling DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Chronic constipation, namely unsatisfactory defecation characterized by difficult and infrequent passage of lumpy and hard stools during at least the previous 3 months, as reported by parents based on the Bristol Stool Scale

Exclusion Criteria:

• ASD constipated children already treated with laxatives

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Autistic Disorder
• Autistic Spectrum Disorder
• Constipation

Intervention

Dietary Supplement:
• Gut mobilization
Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) at the Dose of 6.9 g/d Once a Day for 6 Month. Children were observed and tested at baseline (T0), 1 month (T1) and 6 months (T2) after gut mobilization.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Italy	Interdipartimental Program "Autismo 0-90" at "G. Martino" University Hospital	Messina	ME

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Messina

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Italy, 

References & Publications (11)

Altieri L, Neri C, Sacco R, Curatolo P, Benvenuto A, Muratori F, Santocchi E, Bravaccio C, Lenti C, Saccani M, Rigardetto R, Gandione M, Urbani A, Persico AM. Urinary p-cresol is elevated in small children with severe autism spectrum disorder. Biomarkers. 2011 May;16(3):252-60. doi: 10.3109/1354750X.2010.548010. Epub 2011 Feb 18. — View Citation

De Angelis M, Piccolo M, Vannini L, Siragusa S, De Giacomo A, Serrazzanetti DI, Cristofori F, Guerzoni ME, Gobbetti M, Francavilla R. Fecal microbiota and metabolome of children with autism and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. PLoS One. 2013 Oct 9;8(10):e76993. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0076993. eCollection 2013. — View Citation

Gabriele S, Sacco R, Altieri L, Neri C, Urbani A, Bravaccio C, Riccio MP, Iovene MR, Bombace F, De Magistris L, Persico AM. Slow intestinal transit contributes to elevate urinary p-cresol level in Italian autistic children. Autism Res. 2016 Jul;9(7):752-9. doi: 10.1002/aur.1571. Epub 2015 Oct 6. — View Citation

Gabriele S, Sacco R, Cerullo S, Neri C, Urbani A, Tripi G, Malvy J, Barthelemy C, Bonnet-Brihault F, Persico AM. Urinary p-cresol is elevated in young French children with autism spectrum disorder: a replication study. Biomarkers. 2014 Sep;19(6):463-70. doi: 10.3109/1354750X.2014.936911. Epub 2014 Jul 10. — View Citation

Gevi F, Zolla L, Gabriele S, Persico AM. Urinary metabolomics of young Italian autistic children supports abnormal tryptophan and purine metabolism. Mol Autism. 2016 Nov 24;7:47. eCollection 2016. — View Citation

Goodhart PJ, DeWolf WE Jr, Kruse LI. Mechanism-based inactivation of dopamine beta-hydroxylase by p-cresol and related alkylphenols. Biochemistry. 1987 May 5;26(9):2576-83. — View Citation

Gorrindo P, Williams KC, Lee EB, Walker LS, McGrew SG, Levitt P. Gastrointestinal dysfunction in autism: parental report, clinical evaluation, and associated factors. Autism Res. 2012 Apr;5(2):101-8. doi: 10.1002/aur.237. — View Citation

Kang DW, Adams JB, Vargason T, Santiago M, Hahn J, Krajmalnik-Brown R. Distinct Fecal and Plasma Metabolites in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Their Modulation after Microbiota Transfer Therapy. mSphere. 2020 Oct 21;5(5). pii: e00314-20. doi: 10.1128/mSphere.00314-20. — View Citation

Kashyap PC, Marcobal A, Ursell LK, Larauche M, Duboc H, Earle KA, Sonnenburg ED, Ferreyra JA, Higginbottom SK, Million M, Tache Y, Pasricha PJ, Knight R, Farrugia G, Sonnenburg JL. Complex interactions among diet, gastrointestinal transit, and gut microbiota in humanized mice. Gastroenterology. 2013 May;144(5):967-77. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2013.01.047. Epub 2013 Feb 1. — View Citation

Pascucci T, Colamartino M, Fiori E, Sacco R, Coviello A, Ventura R, Puglisi-Allegra S, Turriziani L, Persico AM. P-cresol Alters Brain Dopamine Metabolism and Exacerbates Autism-Like Behaviors in the BTBR Mouse. Brain Sci. 2020 Apr 13;10(4). pii: E233. doi: 10.3390/brainsci10040233. — View Citation

Persico AM, Ricciardello A, Lamberti M, Turriziani L, Cucinotta F, Brogna C, Vitiello B, Arango C. The pediatric psychopharmacology of autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review - Part I: The past and the present. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2021 Aug 30;110:110326. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110326. Epub 2021 Apr 20. Review. — View Citation

* Note: There are 11 references in all — Click here to view all references

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Change in stool quality	Stool quality was assessed by parental report using the Bristol Stool Scale (score ranges from 1 to 7, where 1 is "lumpy constipation" and 7 is "liquid diarrhoea").	At baseline (T0) prior to gut mobilization; 1 month (T1) and 6 months (T2) after gut mobilization
Primary	Change from baseline urinary concentrations of total p-cresol	Urinary concentrations of total p-cresol, encompassing on average 95% p-cresylsulfate, 3%-4% p-cresylglucuronide and 0.5%-1% of unconjugated free p-cresol, were measured by HPLC three times, averaged and normalized by urinary specific gravity.	First-morning urines were collected at home by parents at baseline (T0), 1 month (T1) and 6 months (T2) after gut mobilization
Primary	Change in Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS)	The Childhood Autism Rating Scale is a clinical rating scale for the trained clinician to rate the presence and severity of signs and symptoms of ASD by direct observation of the child. Scores can range from 15 to 60: below 30, non autistic; 30-36.5 mild to moderate autism; 37-60, severe autism	At baseline (T0), 1 month (T1) and 6 months (T2) after gut mobilization
Primary	Change in Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R)	44- item questionnaire used to assess repetitive behaviors. Scores range from 0 to 3 (0 = the behavior does not occur, 3 = the behavior is present and severe). Overall rating (last question) ranges from 0 to 100, indicating that the set of behaviors described in the questionnaire do not represent a problem at all (0) or instead represent an extremely severe problem (100).	At baseline (T0), 1 month (T1) and 6 months (T2) after gut mobilization
Primary	Change in Conners' Parent Rating Scale - Revised (CPRS-R)	48-item rating scale used to evaluate through parental reports the presence of childhood hyperactivity/inattention, impulsivity and externalizing behaviors (scores for each item range from 0="not true, never, rarely" to 4="very true, very often or very frequent"; diagnostic threshold score = 60).	At baseline (T0), 1 month (T1) and 6 months (T2) after gut mobilization
Primary	Change in Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS)	65-item questionnaire used to assess social impairment, communication deficits and repetitive behaviors (T scores: <60, normal range; 60-65, mild deficits; 66-75, moderate deficits; 76 or above, severe deficits in reciprocal social behavior).	At baseline (T0), 1 month (T1) and 6 months (T2) after gut mobilization