Sertraline in Adults With Pervasive Developmental... : Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology (original) (raw)

Brief Reports

A Prospective Open-Label Investigation

McDougle, Christopher J. MD; Brodkin, Edward S. MD; Naylor, Susan T. RN, MSN; Carlson, Derek C. MD; Cohen, Donald J. MD; Price, Lawrence H. MD

(McDougle) Department of Psychiatry, Section of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; (Brodkin, Naylor, Carlson) Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Abraham Ribicoff Research Facilities, Connecticut Mental Health Center; (Brodkin, Naylor, Carlson, Cohen) Department of Psychiatry and (Cohen) Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; (Price) Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, Rhode Island.

Received April 22, 1997; accepted after revision August 22, 1997.

Address requests for reprints to: Christopher J. McDougle, MD, James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children, Section of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 702 Barnhill Drive, Room 3701, Indianapolis, IN 46202.

Abstract

The short-term efficacy and tolerability of sertraline for adults with pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) were assessed in this investigation. Forty-two adults with PDDs (autistic disorder, N = 22; Asperger's disorder, N = 6; and PDD not otherwise specified [NOS], N = 14) participated in a 12-week, open-label, systematic trial of sertraline. Behavioral ratings of repetitive symptoms, aggression, and social relatedness were obtained at baseline and after 4, 8, and 12 weeks of sertraline administration. Twenty-four (57%) of 42 patients showed significant improvement, primarily in repetitive and aggressive symptoms. Statistically significant changes in measures of social relatedness did not occur. Patients with autistic disorder and PDD NOS did significantly better than those with Asperger's disorder. Based on global improvement item criteria from the Clinical Global Impression Scale, 15 of 22 (68%) patients with autistic disorder, none of six (0%) patients with Asperger's disorder, and 9 of 14 (64%) patients with PDD NOS were categorized as treatment responders. Sertraline was well tolerated; no adverse cardiovascular effects, extrapyramidal symptoms, or seizures were identified. These findings suggested that sertraline may be an effective treatment for interfering repetitive and aggressive symptoms in adults with PDDs. Definitive statements about the efficacy and tolerability of sertraline for treating adults with PDDs must await results from double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. These preliminary results should not be generalized to include children and adolescents with PDDs. (J Clin Psychopharmacol 1998;18:62-66)