81695
document
Failure of naltrexone hydrochloride to reduce self-injurious and autistic behavior in mentally retarded adults . Double-blind placebo-controlled studies . BACKGROUND It is hypothesized that self-injurious behavior ( SIB ) and symptoms of autism may be due to overactivity in some opioid systems in the brain . We examined the efficacy and safety of naltrexone hydrochloride , an opioid antagonist , in the treatment of SIB and autism in mentally retarded adults . METHOD Thirty-three mentally retarded adults with autism and/or SIB participated in double-blind , placebo-controlled crossover studies . Active treatment was first a single 100-mg dose of naltrexone hydrochloride . Subsequently , 19 subjects were treated with 50 mg/d and 14 with 150 mg/d of naltrexone hydrochloride for 4 weeks . The outcome was assessed by means of direct observations ( n = 11 ) and on the basis of scores on a list of target behaviors , the Aberrant Behavior Checklist , and the Clinical Global Impression Scale . RESULTS Thirty-two subjects ( seven with autism , 16 with autism and SIB , and nine with SIB ) completed the trial . Naltrexone treatment failed to have therapeutic effects on SIB and autism . On the contrary , naltrexone increased the incidence of stereotypic behavior on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist , and the care staff evaluated the effect of the 50-mg/d treatment as being significantly worse than that of the placebo treatment as measured by the Clinical Global Impression Scale . CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that naltrexone has no clinical value for a broad group of mentally retarded subjects with SIB and/or autism .
81696
Intervention_Pharmacological
naltrexone hydrochloride
81697
Intervention_Control
placebo-controlled
81698
Intervention_Pharmacological
naltrexone hydrochloride
81699
Intervention_Control
placebo-controlled
81700
Intervention_Pharmacological
naltrexone hydrochloride
81701
Intervention_Pharmacological
naltrexone hydrochloride
81702
Intervention_Pharmacological
Naltrexone
81703
Intervention_Pharmacological
naltrexone
81704
Outcome_Other
efficacy and safety
81705
Outcome_Mental
list of target behaviors , the Aberrant Behavior Checklist , and the Clinical Global Impression Scale
81706
Outcome_Other
failed
81707
Outcome_Mental
increased the incidence of stereotypic behavior on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist
81708
Outcome_Other
significantly worse
81709
Outcome_Mental
Clinical Global Impression Scale
81710
Participant_Condition
SIB and autism
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Participant_Sample-size
Thirty-three
81712
Participant_Age
adults