OBJECTIVE: Atypical neuroleptics, including risperidone, are used to treat children with autism, despite limited efficacy and safety data. Many clinicians believe that risperidone will not induce dyskinesias in children. The authors investigated open risperidone treatment in children with autism and included findings on dyskinesias. METHOD: The sample included 22 outpatients (mean age = 7.1 years) diagnosed with autism (DSM-IV). Treatment consisted of a 1-month short-term phase followed by a 6-month long-term phase. At the end of the long-term phase, drug was discontinued, and the need for further drug treatment and the occurrence of withdrawal dyskinesias were assessed. Measures included the Clinical Global Impressions (CGI), Children's Psychiatric Rating Scale (CPRS), and the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale. RESULTS: The mean risperidone dosage was 1.2 mg/day. Overall, the children had significant clinical improvement as assessed by the CPRS and CGI. Untoward effects included sedation, increased appetite, and weight gain. Two of 13 (15.4%) children treated long-term developed mild, reversible withdrawal dyskinesias when risperidone was discontinued. No child developed dyskinesias on risperidone. CONCLUSIONS: Risperidone shows promise as a treatment in autism. However, withdrawal dyskinesias were noted. Further assessment of the risk of risperidone-related dyskinesias is indicated.
OBJECTIVE: Atypical neuroleptics, including risperidone, are used to treat children with autism, despite limited efficacy and safety data. Many clinicians believe that risperidone will not induce dyskinesias in children. The authors investigated open risperidone treatment in children with autism and included findings on dyskinesias. METHOD: The sample included 22 outpatients (mean age = 7.1 years) diagnosed with autism (DSM-IV). Treatment consisted of a 1-month short-term phase followed by a 6-month long-term phase. At the end of the long-term phase, drug was discontinued, and the need for further drug treatment and the occurrence of withdrawal dyskinesias were assessed. Measures included the Clinical Global Impressions (CGI), Children's Psychiatric Rating Scale (CPRS), and the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale. RESULTS: The mean risperidone dosage was 1.2 mg/day. Overall, the children had significant clinical improvement as assessed by the CPRS and CGI. Untoward effects included sedation, increased appetite, and weight gain. Two of 13 (15.4%) children treated long-term developed mild, reversible withdrawal dyskinesias when risperidone was discontinued. No child developed dyskinesias on risperidone. CONCLUSIONS:Risperidone shows promise as a treatment in autism. However, withdrawal dyskinesias were noted. Further assessment of the risk of risperidone-related dyskinesias is indicated.
Authors: Stefan Gebhardt; Fabian Härtling; Markus Hanke; Markus Mittendorf; Frank M Theisen; Karin Wolf-Ostermann; Phillip Grant; Matthias Martin; Christian Fleischhaker; Eberhard Schulz; Helmut Remschmidt Journal: Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry Date: 2006-04-28 Impact factor: 4.785
Authors: Justine M Kent; Stuart Kushner; Xiaoping Ning; Keith Karcher; Seth Ness; Michael Aman; Jaskaran Singh; David Hough Journal: J Autism Dev Disord Date: 2013-08