Sertraline vs. Placebo in the Treatment of Anxiety in Children and AdoLescents With NeurodevelopMental Disorders

NCT ID: NCT06081348

Last Updated: 2025-07-16

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

PHASE2

Total Enrollment

130 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-09-16

Study Completion Date

2026-09-30

Brief Summary

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There are currently no approved medications for the treatment of anxiety in children and youth with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), both common and rare. Sertraline, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, has extensive evidence to support its use in children's and youth with anxiety but not within NDDs. More research is needed to confirm whether or not sertraline could help improve anxiety in children and youth with common and rare neurodevelopmental conditions. This is a pilot study, in which we plan to estimate the effect size of reduction in anxiety of sertraline vs. placebo. across rare and common neurodevelopmental disorders, and determine the best measure(s) to be used as a primary transdiagnostic outcome measure of anxiety, as well as diagnosis specific measures in future, larger-scale clinical trials of anxiety in NDDs.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Neurodevelopmental Disorders Autism Autism Spectrum Disorder Fragile X Syndrome Tuberous Sclerosis 22Q11 Deletion Syndrome 22Q11 Deletion ADHD Tic Disorders Tourette Syndrome Tourette Syndrome in Children Tourette Syndrome in Adolescence ADHD - Combined Type ADHD Predominantly Inattentive Type ADHD, Predominantly Hyperactive - Impulsive Anxiety Anxiety Disorders

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

QUADRUPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Sertraline

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Sertraline

Intervention Type DRUG

Oral capsule (25mg, 50mg, 100mg, 200mg)

Placebo

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Placebo

Intervention Type OTHER

Oral placebo capsule

Interventions

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Sertraline

Oral capsule (25mg, 50mg, 100mg, 200mg)

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo

Oral placebo capsule

Intervention Type OTHER

Other Intervention Names

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Sertraline Hydrochloride Zoloft Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Outpatients 8-17 years of age, inclusive
2. Females of child bearing potential who are sexually active and agree to use medically acceptable birth control throughout the study and at least one week post last dose of study drug.
3. Meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - DSM-5 criteria for ASD, ADHD, Tic Disorders, or genetic diagnosis of Fragile X, tuberous sclerosis or 22q11 deletions.
4. Meet DSM-5 criteria for one of the following anxiety disorders: Separation Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Agoraphobia, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or Unspecified Anxiety Disorder, based on expert clinical interview, supported by the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (KSADS; Kaufman et al., 2016). Other specified anxiety disorder is included to account for youth with impairing anxiety symptoms who may not meet criteria for one of the other anxiety disorders.
5. Have a Clinician's Global Impression-Severity for anxiety (CGI-S; Guy, 1976)) score ≥ 4 (moderately ill) (inter-rater reliability will be done prior to initiation of enrollment, using videotapes of interviews and vignettes)
6. Have at least phrase speech, to allow for some self-report. So that results can be generalized to children and youth with NDD and various levels of ability, no IQ cut-off will be employed. Full-scale IQ (as measured by the Stanford-Binet) is measured to explore its effect on efficacy and safety\*
7. If already receiving interventions, must meet the following criteria:

1. If receiving concomitant medications affecting behaviour, must be on a stable dose during the month prior to screening and will not electively modify ongoing medications for study duration
2. If already receiving stable non-pharmacological behavioural interventions, have stable participation during 3 months prior to screening, and will not electively modify ongoing interventions
8. Ability to complete assessments in English/French

Exclusion Criteria

1. Receiving other SSRIs within four weeks of randomization (6 weeks for fluoxetine)
2. Previous treatment with sertraline, at an adequate dose (at least 100mg for 6 weeks, or lower dose and duration if not well-tolerated), associated with no response or significant-to-the-participant side effects.
3. Received more than 2 previous appropriate trials of SSRIs with no adequate response
4. Pregnant females or sexually active females on inadequate contraception
5. Serious medical condition that, based on Investigator judgment, might interfere with the conduct of the study, confound interpretation of the study results, or endanger participant. In addition diabetic patients on medications for glycemic control will be excluded as sertraline may interfere with glycemic control.
6. Hypersensitivity to sertraline or any components of its formulation
7. On Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors or pimozide (as per product monograph)
8. On concomitant medications known to significantly increase QT interval where this would result in unacceptable risk per Investigator judgment.
9. Known congenital QT prolongation
10. HIV, hepatitis B or C, hemophilia, abnormal blood pressure, substance abuse, immunity disorder, major depressive episode or psychosis (as required by Health Canada)
11. Unable to tolerate venipuncture
12. Unable to swallow capsules
13. Enrolled in another intervention study
Minimum Eligible Age

8 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

17 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Azrieli Foundation (Funder)

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Funder)

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

Ontario Brain Institute (Funder)

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

McMaster University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Western University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Queen's University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Alberta

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Alberta Health services

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

St. Justine's Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Dalhousie University

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Unity Health Toronto

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Toronto

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

The Hospital for Sick Children

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Maternal, Infant, Child and Youth Research Network (MICYRN)

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Dr. Evdokia Anagnostou

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Holland Bloorview Kids Rehab Hospital

Locations

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Alberta Children's Hospital - University of Calgary

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Site Status RECRUITING

University of Alberta-Glenrose

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Site Status RECRUITING

Dalhousie University - IWK Health Centre

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Site Status RECRUITING

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Site Status RECRUITING

Queen's University

Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Site Status NOT_YET_RECRUITING

University of Western Ontario, Lawson Health Research Institute

London, Ontario, Canada

Site Status RECRUITING

Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Site Status RECRUITING

Ste Justine Hospital - Universite de Montreal

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Site Status NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Countries

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Canada

Central Contacts

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Faiza Khawaja

Role: CONTACT

4164256220 ext. 3526

Facility Contacts

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Thomas Qiao

Role: primary

Jacob Bennett

Role: primary

Stacey MacWilliam

Role: primary

Nancy Selman

Role: primary

9057415479

Kelly Estrada Piedrahita

Role: primary

613-533-6000 ext. 76903

Ahsan Ahmad

Role: primary

(519) 685-8500 ext. 74906

Karly Janisse

Role: primary

4164256220 ext. 3297

Baudouin Forgeot D'Arc

Role: primary

Other Identifiers

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SER-11-2020

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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