Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Placebo-Controlled Study of Risperidone for the Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Autism and Negative Behavioral Symptoms
Brief Summary: This study is designed to determine the effectiveness of risperidone, a drug treatment for the interfering symptoms of Autistic Disorder in children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 17. Between 100 and 120 patients will be participating in this research study at five academic medical centers in the United States. The primary aim of the treatment is to reduce impairing behavioral symptoms such as aggression, explosive outbursts, or self-injurious behavior, without significant side effects. A secondary aim is to evaluate possible improvement in the level of social relatedness, attention, motor coordination, and short-term memory.

This study is a placebo-controlled, double-blind study (neither the investigators nor patients know if the treatment being given is risperidone or an inactive substance, placebo). Patients will be asked to participate for 6 to 8 months. For the first 8 weeks, patients will receive either risperidone or placebo, randomly chosen. At the end of the 8 weeks, those patients who have improved and were on risperidone will be asked to continue on this medication for another 4 months. The last two months of the study are again double-blind (neither patients nor investigators know treatment). Patients will either continue risperidone treatment or be gradually tapered from risperidone (placebo-substitution). This blinded discontinuation phase will last 2 months during which patients will be closely monitored for recurrence or worsening of symptoms. Patients who have been treated with placebo in the first 8 weeks of the study and have not improved will be treated with risperidone. Weekly visits are required for the first 8 weeks of the study, monthly visits for the following 4 months, and weekly visits during the last 2 months of the study.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

Autism/ADHD Group:

* DSM-IV diagnosis of autistic disorder, as per the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS)
* Child manifests current symptoms of ADHD

Autism/non-ADHD Group:

* Meets the diagnostic criteria for autism, as above, but does not meet the diagnostic criteria for ADHD

Exclusion Criteria:

In both groups, exclusion criteria will include:

* Sensory or motor deficits sufficient to interfere with testing (e.g., blindness, severe cerebral palsy)
* Serious neurological disorders (e.g., epilepsy, stroke)
* Down syndrome, fragile X syndrome, Tourette syndrome, or fetal alcohol syndrome
* Bipolar disorder or a family history of bipolar disorder in a first-degree relative
* Other serious psychopathology that resulted in psychiatric hospitalization (e.g., for psychotic episode). The investigators will screen for this using the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents (DICA)-IV, and getting a complete developmental/medical history
* Serious physical handicaps that would interfere with performance on laboratory tasks
* IQ less than 50 and greater than 130
* Verbal mental age (VMA) less than 36 months (to exclude participants unable to understand simple task instructions)

In the autism/ADHD group, further exclusion criteria apply to the MPH trial:

* History of intolerance to MPH
* Weight less than 20 kg or greater than 59 kg (less than 44 pounds or greater than 130 pounds)
* Concomitant use of dextroamphetamine preparations (Dexedrine, Dextrostat), mixed amphetamine salts (Adderall XR), other MPH preparations (e.g., Concerta, Metadate); venlafaxine, bupropion, atomoxetine, guanfacine, modafinil.
* Concomitant use of any herbal preparations
* Medical condition for which stimulants are contraindicated (e.g., high blood pressure)
* Past treatment failure on a methylphenidate trial
B: PROTOCOL ENTRY CRITERIA:

--Disease Characteristics--

Meets diagnostic criteria for autism

--Prior/Concurrent Therapy--

Other:

* At least 3 months since prior electroconvulsive therapy
* At least 1 month since prior investigational drugs or treatment with any drug known to cause major organ toxicity
* At least 2 weeks since prior monoamine oxidase inhibitors
* At least 6 weeks since prior long acting phenothiazines
* At least 1 week since prior other psychotropic drugs
* No prior fluoxetine of 20 mg/day for 6 weeks
* At least 6 weeks since prior fluoxetine
* No concurrent use of terfenadine (Seldane) or astemizole (Hismanal)
* No concurrent electroconvulsive therapy or other psychotropic drugs (unless otherwise permitted)
* Prior participation in another serotonin reuptake inhibitor trial allowed

--Patient Characteristics--

Hematopoietic: No significant hematopoietic disease

Hepatic: No prior or concurrent liver disease

Renal: No prior or concurrent kidney disease

Cardiovascular:

* No significant cardiovascular disease
* No abnormal EKG

Neurological:

* No prior seizure disorder or high risk development of seizures
* No prior cerebrovascular disease
* No prior brain trauma

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* No unstable major medical illness or systemic disease
* No moderate or severe mental retardation and motor deficits (IQ less than 50)
* No family history of bipolar disorder
* No prior or concurrent other mental disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, schizoaffective, organic, or bipolar disorders)
* No significant autoaggressive behavior or serious suicidal risk
* No prior or concurrent gastrointestinal conditions
* No unstable endocrine disease (e.g., hypo or hyperthyroidism)
* No prior or concurrent malignancy
* Must be able to tolerate tapering of psychoactive medication
* No history of hypersensitivity or severe side effects to fluoxetine or other serotonin reuptake inhibitors
* No history of severe personality disorder or noncompliance
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* DSM-IV diagnosis of Autistic Disorder (299.00)
* ABC-I Subscale score of greater than or equal to 18
* CGI-S of greater than or equal to 4
* mental age \>18 months, body weight of at least 20 kg, seizure-free for at least 6 consecutive months and if on anticonvulsants must be on a dosage that has been stable for at least 4 weeks
* Medication free for 1 week before the start of the study for all psychotropic drugs, except 4 weeks for fluoxetine and at least 8 weeks for injectable medications
* Female patients must be premenarchal or sexually abstinent or, if heterosexually active, must practice an effective method of birth control.

Exclusion Criteria:

* History of prior or current DSM-IV psychotic disorder (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, other psychosis), Pervasive Developmental Disorder not otherwise specified (PDD NOS), Asperger's, or Rett's
* Any history of hypersensitivity to risperidone, or its excipients in formulation, or other known drug allergy
* Patients who received risperidone within 3 months before screening (except p.r.n. use)
* Patients who did not demonstrate sufficient clinical response to an adequate trial of risperidone treatment in the past (an adequate trial is defined as a period of at least 4 weeks at an adequate dose)
* Neurologic disorder (e.g., Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, seizure disorders that are unstable, seizure activity within the past 6 months)
* History of alcohol or substance dependence within 3 months of screening
* Female subject who is pregnant (positive beta-HCG) or breast feeding
* Patients with existing moderate or severe EPS or history of tardive dyskinesia
* Patients who have received an experimental drug or used an experimental medical device within 3 months before the planned start of treatment.
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Males and females between the ages of 5 and 17 years 2 months.
* Weight of 15 kg or greater.
* DSM-IV diagnosis of Autistic Disorder.
* Inpatient or outpatient.
* Medication free for at least 2 weeks for all psychotropic medications (4 weeks for fluoxetine or depot neuroleptics).
* Anticonvulsants used for treatment of seizure disorder permitted if the dosage has been stable for 4 weeks and patient seizure free for at least 6 months.
* Clinical Global Impression Severity score of at least 4 and a)18 or greater on the Irritability Scale of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist or b) .5 total score on the Ritvo-Freeman scale.
* Mental age of at least 18 months.
* Negative pregnancy test

Exclusion Criteria:

* IQ below 18 months.
* Females with a positive pregnancy test. - Evidence of a prior adequate trial with risperidone.
* Evidence of hypersensitivity to risperidone.
* Past history of neuroleptic malignant syndrome.
* DSM-IV diagnosis of Pervasive Developmental Disorder other than Autistic Disorder.
* Significant medical condition such as heart disease, hypertension, liver or renal failure, pulmonary disease, or unstable seizure disorder.
* Weight less than 15 kg.

Answer: D