Randomized Controlled Trial of Propranolol for Aggression, Self-Injury, and Severe Disruptive Behavior in Adolescents and Adults With Autism
Jeremy Veenstra-vanderweele
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if propranolol can help reduce challenging behaviors associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder, including aggression, self-injury, and severe disruptive behaviors. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either propranolol or a placebo (a look-alike substance that contains no drug) daily for 12 weeks. After the 12 weeks, all participants will have the opportunity to receive propranolol for an additional 12 weeks.
Description
The study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of high dose propranolol in 60 male and female participants between the ages of 12 and 40 years who have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and experience serious challenging behaviors. Participants must meet severity criteria, defined as a Clinical Global Impression Severity (CGI-S) score of 4 or higher and an Aberrant Behavior Checklist-2 Irritability/Agitation (ABC-I/A) score greater than 18. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either propranolol or a placebo. Over the first 8 weeks, participants will gradually increas…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 12–40 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Age between 12-40 years. * Clinical best-estimate diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder * Occurrence of severe challenging behaviors, such as aggression, self-injury, and/or severely disruptive or destructive behavior, leading to safety concerns or serious impact of the quality of life, at least weekly over the past 2 months before screening. * Score in the ASD range on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule conducted at the time of study entry or in the past 5 years * Clinical Global Impression Severity scale (CGI-S) score of 4 or above at Baseline * Aberrant Behavi…
Interventions
- DrugPropranolol
Propranolol, oral, titrated in weekly increments from 10 mg TID to a maximum of 200 mg TID (total daily dose: 30 mg to 600 mg at 8 weeks), based on tolerability. Participants will continue at the highest tolerated dose for additional 4 weeks. Target doses: 10 mg, 40 mg, 80 mg, 120 mg, 160 mg, 200 mg TID.
- DrugPlacebo
Placebo for Propranolol
Locations (2)
- New York State Institute for Basic Research (IBR)Staten Island, New York
- Center for Autism and the Developing BrainWhite Plains, New York