Therapies for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Evidence Table. Therapies for children with ASD
Study
Inclusion/Exclusion
Description Intervention
Criteria/Population
Posey et al. N at follow-up:
Other characteristics, n
2004 (continued) G1: 80
(%):
Comorbid mental
retardation: 56 (70)
• Mild: 25 (31.25)
• Moderate: 25 (31.25)
• Severe: 6 (7.5)
Seizure disorders: 11 (14)
Posey et al.
2004 (continued)
C-340
Baseline
Measures Outcomes
Social
impairment: 3.97
± 0.82 (0), 0/78
Language: 4.05 ±
1.01
Communication
impairment, %
improvement, n/N:
3.1, 2/65
Medical, mean ±
SD:
SBP: 107.6 ± 16.1
DBP: 64.3 ± 10.6
Heart rate: 94.6 ±
16.6
No difference in
BPs or heart rate
following
treatment with
guanfacine
Harms, n (%):
Transient
sedation: 25 (31)
Irritability: 5 (6)
Constipation: 3 (4)
Headache: 2 (3)
Nocturnal
Enuresis: 2 (3)
Modifiers:
PDD-NOS (39.3%
responders) and
Asperger’s
(33.3%
responders) had
greater rate of
global response
than those with
autistic disorder
(13.0%
responders) (P =
0.009)
Responders had
history of
significantly fewer
psychotropic drug
trials than nonresponders
(1.3 ±
1.6 vs. 3.0 ± 3.4,
P = 0.046).
Responders were
less aggressive at
baseline by CGI
severity item (P =
0.04).