Pragmatic Trial Comparing Weight Gain in Children With Autism Taking Risperidone Versus Aripiprazole

NCT ID: NCT04903353

Last Updated: 2025-08-05

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

PHASE4

Total Enrollment

350 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2022-02-01

Study Completion Date

2025-12-01

Brief Summary

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This study aims to compare two FDA approved medications (aripiprazole and risperidone) for the treatment of behavioral dysregulation in children with autism spectrum disorders. This trial, done in the context of routine clinical care, will seek to evaluate whether aripiprazole or risperidone is associated with more weight gain in children.

Detailed Description

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Autism is a developmental disability with increasing prevalence in our society. Currently one out of fifty-nine children in the United States has this condition. Many children with autism experience behavioral dysregulation such as irritability and aggression.

Currently, there are two FDA approved atypical antipsychotic medications that treat irritability in children with autism. These are aripiprazole and risperidone. While it is thought that aripiprazole may cause less weight gain than risperidone, clinically this has not been proven.

Understanding the relative risk of ATAP-induced weight gain that results from risperidone versus aripiprazole in a real-world setting could help guide the choice of medical intervention and reduce the cardiometabolic risks, and, most critically, address the limitations of current studies, which have not been able to provide clear clinical insights given the difficulty with having a representative and robust number of patients enrolled.

To be enrolled in this study, participants must be younger than 18 years of age, on the autism spectrum, have behavioral dysregulation, be naive to treatment with atypical antipsychotics and be seen either in the Division of Developmental Medicine or Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

For enrolled patients, the ordering provider will see an order set, randomized to either aripiprazole or risperidone. They will then choose the recommended antipsychotic that the patient has been randomized to, or override the prompt. If the provider overrides the prompt, they will be asked to provide a reason for not choosing the recommended option.

The outcome measure for this study will be weight gain at a 3 month follow-up visit.

Conditions

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Weight Gain Autism Spectrum Disorder Medication Side Effect

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Participants will be randomly assigned to either Risperidone or Aripiprazole after a clinician has chosen to start the patient on an atypical antipsychotic
Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Treatment with Risperidone

Patients prescribed Risperidone

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Comparison of Risperidone and Aripiprazole

Intervention Type DRUG

Comparing two FDA approved medications for treatment of irritability in autism

Treatment with Aripiprazole

Patients prescribed Aripiprazole

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Comparison of Risperidone and Aripiprazole

Intervention Type DRUG

Comparing two FDA approved medications for treatment of irritability in autism

Interventions

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Comparison of Risperidone and Aripiprazole

Comparing two FDA approved medications for treatment of irritability in autism

Intervention Type DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* age 17 years and younger
* diagnosed with autism
* have behavior problems
* seen in Vanderbilt clinic
* naïve to atypical antipsychotics

Exclusion Criteria

* 18 years or older
* history of atypical antipsychotic use
* not diagnosed with autism
Maximum Eligible Age

17 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Vanderbilt University Medical Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Angela Maxwell-Horn

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Angela Maxwell-Horn, M.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Locations

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Division of Developmental Medicine

Nashville, Tennessee, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Angela Maxwell-Horn, M.D.

Role: CONTACT

(615) 936-0249

Sally Furukawa

Role: CONTACT

(615) 936-0249

Facility Contacts

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Angela Maxwell-Horn

Role: primary

615-936-0249

Other Identifiers

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210757

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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