Treating Oxidative Stress in Children With Autism
Completed · Not applicable
Conditions studied: Autistic Disorder
In brief
An open label trial was undertaken in 40 autistic children to determine whether treatment with metabolic precursors methylcobalamin and folinic acid would improve plasma biomarkers of oxidative stress and measures of core behavior using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS). Metabolites involved in methionine and glutathione synthesis and VABS behavior scores were measured before and after a three month intervention period. The results indicated that pre-treatment metabolites in autistic children were significantly different from values in age-matched control children. The three month intervention resulted in significant increases in cysteine, cysteinylglycine, and glutathione (GSH, p \< 0.001). The oxidized disulfide form of glutathione (GSSG) was decreased (p \< 0.008) and the glutathione redox ratio (GSH/GSSG) was increased after treatment (p \< 0.001). Although significantly improved, these metabolites remained below control levels after intervention (p \> 0.01). Similarly, increases in VABS composite score and sub-scores for Socialization, Communication, and Daily Living Skills increased after treatment (p \< 0.007) but also remained below standard scores.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT00692315
- Run by
- Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute
- People needed
- 40
- Starts
- 2006-09-01
- Expected to finish
- 2007-12-01
- Last updated by the study team
- 2016-04-15
Who can join
Age: 3 and older, up to 7. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Clinical diagnosis of Autistic Disorder by DSM-IV 299.0 or CARS score >30
You may not qualify if…
- Primary genetic disease with co-morbid autism
- frequent seizures
- recent surgery
- active infection with fever
- high dose vitamin/mineral supplements
- severe gastrointestinal symptoms
Where it is running
- Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute — Little Rock, Arkansas, United States
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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