Table 2. Studies examining selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors for treating individuals with comorbid autism spectrum disorder symptoms and anxiety and/or repetitive behaviors.
| Study (year) | Design | Sample | Outcome measure(s) | Treatment outcomes | Side effects | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollander et al. (2005)† | Placebo-controlled | n = 39‡ (20 fluoxetine, 19 placebo) | CY-BOCS, CGI-A | Decreases in repetitive behaviors (ES = 0.76) | Limited side effects reported | [83] |
| Buchsbaum et al. (2001) | Single-blind crossover | n = 6 (fluoxetine) | Y-BOCS, HRSA | Participants displayed reductions in anxiety and obsessions on average | Headaches reported in one participant | [84] |
| Martin et al. (2003) | Prospective open-label | n = 18‡ (fluvoxamine) | CY-BOCS, CGI-Severity, SCARED | No significant reductions in ASDs or anxiety symptoms | 50% reported behavioral activation, akathisia, sleep and headaches | [85] |
| McDougle et al. (1996)‡ | Placebo-controlled | n = 30 (15 fluvoxamine, 15 placebo) | Y-BOCS, CGI-Severity | 53% displayed reductions in ASD symptoms | Mild sedation and nausea | [86] |
| Steingard et al. (1997) | Open-label | n = 9‡ (sertraline) | Nonstandardized | 89% displayed reductions in ASD symptoms | Behavior deteriorations and stomach aches | [91] |
| McDougle et al. (1998) | Prospective open-label | n = 41 (sertraline) | Y-BOCS, CGI-Severity | 57% displayed decreases in repetitive behaviors | Anorexia, weight gain, sedation, agitation, anxiety, alopecia and tinnitus | [92] |
| Couturier et al. (2002) | Retrospective chart review | n = 17‡ (citalopram) | CGI-Severity | 59% displayed decreases in anxiety and/or aggression | Agitation, tics and insomnia | [88] |
| Namerow et al. (2003) | Retrospective chart review | n = 15‡ (citalopram) | CGI-Severity | 73% displayed improvement in ASD symptoms | 33% reported ‘mild’ side effects including appetite changes and headaches | [89] |
| King et al. (2009)† | Placebo-controlled crossover | n = 149‡ (73 citalopram, 76 placebo) | CY-BOCS, CGI-Severity | No significant reductions in ASDs or anxiety symptoms | Impulsivity, poor concentration, insomnia, hyperactivity, stereotypy, diarrhea and dry skin | [90] |
†
Randomized controlled study design.
‡
ChiId sample.
ASD: Autism spectrum disorder; CGI-A: Clinical Global Impressions –Autism Scale; CGI-Severity: Clinical Global Impressions – Severity Scale; CY-BOCS: Children's Yale–Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale; ES: Effect size; HRSA: Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety; SCARED: Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders; Y-BOCS: Yale–Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale.