TY - JOUR
T1 - Metformin for treatment of overweight induced by atypical antipsychotic medication in young people with autism spectrum disorder
T2 - A randomized clinical trial
AU - Anagnostou, Evdokia
AU - Aman, Michael G.
AU - Handen, Benjamin L.
AU - Sanders, Kevin B.
AU - Shui, Amy
AU - Hollway, Jill A.
AU - Brian, Jessica
AU - Arnold, L. Eugene
AU - Capano, Lucia
AU - Hellings, Jessica A.
AU - Butter, Eric
AU - Mankad, Deepali
AU - Tumuluru, Rameshwari
AU - Kettel, Jessica
AU - Newsom, Cassandra R.
AU - Hadjiyannakis, Stasia
AU - Peleg, Naomi
AU - Odrobina, Dina
AU - McAuliffe-Bellin, Sarah
AU - Zakroysky, Pearl
AU - Marler, Sarah
AU - Wagner, Alexis
AU - Wong, Taylor
AU - Macklin, Eric A.
AU - Veenstra-Vander Weele, Jeremy
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright 2016 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
PY - 2016/9/1
Y1 - 2016/9/1
N2 - IMPORTANCE Atypical antipsychotic medications are indicated for the treatment of irritability and agitation symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Unfortunately, these medications are associated with weight gain and metabolic complications that are especially troubling in children and with long-term use. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy ofmetformin for weight gain associated with atypical antipsychotic medications in children and adolescents with ASD (defined in the protocol as DSM-IV diagnosis of autistic disorder, Asperger disorder, or pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified), aged 6 to 17 years. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A 16-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial was conducted at 4 centers in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Columbus, Ohio; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Nashville, Tennessee. In all, 209 potential participants were screened by telephone, 69 individuals provided consent, and 61 participants were randomized to receivemetformin or placebo between April 26, 2013, and June 24, 2015. INTERVENTIONS Metformin or matching placebo titrated up to 500mg twice daily for children aged 6 to 9 years and 850mg twice daily for those 10 to 17 years. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome measurewas change in body mass index (BMI) z score during 16 weeks of treatment. Secondary outcomes included changes in additional body composition and metabolic variables. Safety, tolerability, and efficacy analyses all used a modified intent-to-treat sample comprising all participants who received at least 1 dose of medication. RESULTS Of the 61 randomized participants, 60 participants initiated treatment (45 [75%] male; mean [SD] age, 12.8 [2.7] years). Metformin reduced BMI z scores from baseline to week 16 significantly more than placebo (difference in 16-week change scores vs placebo, -0.10 [95%CI, -0.16 to -0.04]; P = .003). Statistically significant improvements were also noted in secondary body composition measures (raw BMI, -0.95 [95%CI, -1.46 to -0.45] and raw weight, -2.73 [95%CI, -4.04 to -1.43]) but not in metabolic variables. Overall, metformin was well tolerated. Five participants in the metformin group discontinued treatment owing to adverse events (agitation, 4; sedation, 1). Participants receiving metformin vs placebo experienced gastrointestinal adverse events during a significantly higher percentage of treatment days (25.1%vs 6.8%; P = .005). CONCLUSIONSANDRELEVANCE Metforminmaybe effective in decreasingweight gain associated with atypical antipsychotic use and iswell tolerated by children and adolescents with ASD.
AB - IMPORTANCE Atypical antipsychotic medications are indicated for the treatment of irritability and agitation symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Unfortunately, these medications are associated with weight gain and metabolic complications that are especially troubling in children and with long-term use. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy ofmetformin for weight gain associated with atypical antipsychotic medications in children and adolescents with ASD (defined in the protocol as DSM-IV diagnosis of autistic disorder, Asperger disorder, or pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified), aged 6 to 17 years. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A 16-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial was conducted at 4 centers in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Columbus, Ohio; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Nashville, Tennessee. In all, 209 potential participants were screened by telephone, 69 individuals provided consent, and 61 participants were randomized to receivemetformin or placebo between April 26, 2013, and June 24, 2015. INTERVENTIONS Metformin or matching placebo titrated up to 500mg twice daily for children aged 6 to 9 years and 850mg twice daily for those 10 to 17 years. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome measurewas change in body mass index (BMI) z score during 16 weeks of treatment. Secondary outcomes included changes in additional body composition and metabolic variables. Safety, tolerability, and efficacy analyses all used a modified intent-to-treat sample comprising all participants who received at least 1 dose of medication. RESULTS Of the 61 randomized participants, 60 participants initiated treatment (45 [75%] male; mean [SD] age, 12.8 [2.7] years). Metformin reduced BMI z scores from baseline to week 16 significantly more than placebo (difference in 16-week change scores vs placebo, -0.10 [95%CI, -0.16 to -0.04]; P = .003). Statistically significant improvements were also noted in secondary body composition measures (raw BMI, -0.95 [95%CI, -1.46 to -0.45] and raw weight, -2.73 [95%CI, -4.04 to -1.43]) but not in metabolic variables. Overall, metformin was well tolerated. Five participants in the metformin group discontinued treatment owing to adverse events (agitation, 4; sedation, 1). Participants receiving metformin vs placebo experienced gastrointestinal adverse events during a significantly higher percentage of treatment days (25.1%vs 6.8%; P = .005). CONCLUSIONSANDRELEVANCE Metforminmaybe effective in decreasingweight gain associated with atypical antipsychotic use and iswell tolerated by children and adolescents with ASD.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84996606750&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84996606750&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.1232
DO - 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.1232
M3 - Article
C2 - 27556593
AN - SCOPUS:84996606750
SN - 2168-622X
VL - 73
SP - 928
EP - 937
JO - JAMA Psychiatry
JF - JAMA Psychiatry
IS - 9
ER -