Atomoxetine Versus Placebo for Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder

A Randomized, Double-blind Comparison of Atomoxetine Hydrochloride and Placebo for Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder

The purpose of this study is to determine whether atomoxetine is effective in reducing ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) symptoms in children and adolescents with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Autistic Disorder; Attention Deficit Disorder With Hyperactivity
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Placebo; Drug: Atomoxetine

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 97
• Phase: Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Netherlands
  • Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1100 AL
    • For additional information regarding investigative sites for this trial, contact 1-877-CTLILLY (1-877-285-4559, 1-317-615-4559) Mon - Fri from 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern Time (UTC/GMT - 5 hours, EST), or speak with your personal physician.
  • Den Haag, Netherlands, 2566 ER
    • For additional information regarding investigative sites for this trial, contact 1-877-CTLILLY (1-877-285-4559, 1-317-615-4559) Mon - Fri from 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern Time (UTC/GMT - 5 hours, EST), or speak with your personal physician.
  • Groningen, Netherlands, 9713 GZ
    • For additional information regarding investigative sites for this trial, contact 1-877-CTLILLY (1-877-285-4559, 1-317-615-4559) Mon - Fri from 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern Time (UTC/GMT - 5 hours, EST), or speak with your personal physician.
  • Hoorn, Netherlands, 1624 NP
    • For additional information regarding investigative sites for this trial, contact 1-877-CTLILLY (1-877-285-4559, 1-317-615-4559) Mon - Fri from 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern Time (UTC/GMT - 5 hours, EST), or speak with your personal physician.
  • Maastricht, Netherlands, 6229 HX
    • For additional information regarding investigative sites for this trial, contact 1-877-CTLILLY (1-877-285-4559, 1-317-615-4559) Mon - Fri from 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern Time (UTC/GMT - 5 hours, EST), or speak with your personal physician.
  • Nijmegen, Netherlands, 6500 HB
    • For additional information regarding investigative sites for this trial, contact 1-877-CTLILLY (1-877-285-4559, 1-317-615-4559) Mon - Fri from 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern Time (UTC/GMT - 5 hours, EST), or speak with your personal physician.
  • Oosterhout, Netherlands, 4901 ZG
    • For additional information regarding investigative sites for this trial, contact 1-877-CTLILLY (1-877-285-4559, 1-317-615-4559) Mon - Fri from 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern Time (UTC/GMT - 5 hours, EST), or speak with your personal physician.
  • Utrecht, Netherlands, 3584 CX
    • For additional information regarding investigative sites for this trial, contact 1-877-CTLILLY (1-877-285-4559, 1-317-615-4559) Mon - Fri from 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern Time (UTC/GMT - 5 hours, EST), or speak with your personal physician.

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 6 years to 17 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria (most important):

• ASD (autistic disorder or Asperger's disorder or Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified [PDD NOS])
• Criteria A through D for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• At least 1.5 standard deviations above the age norm for their diagnostic subtype using published norms for the ADHD Rating Scale-IV-Parent Version
• Intelligence quotient (IQ) score > 60

Exclusion Criteria (most important):

• weight under 20 kg
• Patients who meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) criteria for ASD other than Autistic Disorder, PDD-NOS or Asperger's Disorder;history of Bipolar I or II disorder, schizophrenia, another psychotic disorder, substance abuse;Have a significant medical condition such as heart disease, hypertension, liver or renal failure, pulmonary disease, or seizure disorder identified by history, physical examination, or laboratory tests; Patients who have taken (or are currently taking) anticonvulsants for seizure control.
• patients at serious suicidal risk.
• Contraindication to the use of atomoxetine
• Patients who in the investigator's judgment are likely to need psychotropic medications apart from the drug. Patients who at any time during Study Period II are likely to begin a structured psychotherapy, likely to require hospitalization (i.e. in-patient treatment) or likely to be dismissed from in-patient treatment. Psychotherapy (including hospitalization) initiated at least 2 months prior to study participation is acceptable; however, after study participation has begun, only during Study Period III supportive or educational therapy is permitted.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Quadruple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Atomoxetine; atomoxetine 0.5 mg/kg/day every day (QD), by mouth (PO) for 1 week, atomoxetine 0.8mg/kg/day QD, PO for 1 week, 1.2mg/kg/day QD, PO for 6 weeks then atomoxetine 0.5-1.2 mg/kg/day QD, PO for up to 20 weeks	Drug: Atomoxetine; Other Names: LY139603; Strattera
Placebo Comparator: Placebo; placebo every day (QD), by mouth (PO) for 8 weeks Then patients can take atomoxetine 0.5-1.2 mg/kg/day QD, PO up to 20 weeks	Drug: Placebo

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
ADHD Rating Scale-IV-Parent Version: Investigator Scored - Total Score	Measures the 18 symptoms contained in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Version IV (DSM-IV) diagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Individual item scores range from 0 (none/never or rarely) to 3 (severe/very often). Total scores range from 0 to 54.	Baseline and 8 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Clinical Global Impressions-ADHD-Improvement (CGI-ADHD - I)	Measures total improvement (or worsening) of a patient's ADHD symptoms from the beginning of treatment (1=very much improved, 7=very much worsened).	8 weeks, 28 weeks
Conners' Teacher Rating Scale - Revised: Short Form (CTRS-R:S)	A 28-item rating scale (0 [not at all/never] to 3 [very much true/very often]) completed by the teacher to assess problem behaviors related to ADHD. Subscale total scores range from 0 to 15 for Oppositional and Cognitive Problems, 0 to 21 for Hyperactivity, and 0 to 36 for ADHD Index.	Baseline, 8 weeks, 28 weeks
ADHD Rating Scale-IV-Parent Version: Investigator Scored Total Score	Measures the 18 symptoms contained in the DSM-IV diagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Individual item scores range from 0 (none/never or rarely) to 3 (severe/very often). Total scores range from 0 to 54.	28 weeks
Sleep Measure Scale	10-item parent-based scale assessing sleep problems (6 point Likert scale). Scores: Difficulty falling asleep (1-6); Quality of sleep (3-18); Functional outcome (6-36). Lower scores indicate higher problems with item. Open-ended items: Time to fall asleep (1 [0-15 minutes] to 5 [>1 hour]); Total hours (numbers associated with hours of sleep).	Baseline, 8 weeks, 28 weeks
Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC)	The ABC is a 58-item informant-based scale comprised of five subscales (Irritability [15 items], Lethargy [16], Stereotypic Behaviors [7], Hyperactivity [16], Inappropriate Speech [4]). Individual item scores range from 0 (no problem) to 3 (severe problem). Subscale scores are total of individual item scores in subscale: Irritability (0-45); Lethargy (0-48); Stereotypic (0-21); Hyperactivity (0-48); Inappropriate Speech (0-12).	Baseline, 8 weeks, 28 weeks
Children's Social Behavior Questionnaire (CSBQ) Total Score	CSBQ is filled out by parents and consists of 49 items. Items are rated in an ordinal rather than a discrete fashion in order to establish the extent to which problems are present. The CSBQ consists of six subscales. Individual item scores range from 0=does not apply to 2=applies clearly. Total score ranges from 0 to 98.	Baseline, 8 weeks, 28 weeks
General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) Total Score	Parental distress is measured with the GHQ. The raw total score (based on 0-0-1-1 scoring system) can be used as an overall index of psychological distress, ranging from 0 to 12 with higher scores indicating more distress.	Baseline, 8 weeks, 28 weeks
Nijmeegse Ouderlijke Stress Index (NOSI) Total Score	The NOSI contains 123 items to be completed by the primary caregiver. Individual item scores range from 1 (completely agree) to 6 (completely disagree). Total scores range from 123 to 738.	Baseline, 8 weeks, 28 weeks
Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks (ANT): Focused Attention Task - Error Rates	Focused attention assessed distractibility. Child needs to identify a specific target (eg, Cherry); non-target is any other fruit. Child presses "yes" when target occurs in relevant position (eg, one of vertical positions on diamond). Child presses "no" when target is absent, or when target appears on horizontal position (irrelevant target). Error rates are percentage of missing relevant targets and percentage of false alarms in response to (irr)relevant (non)targets based on number of errors/total number of trials X 100.	Baseline, 8 Weeks
Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks (ANT): Focused Attention Task - Reaction Times for Hits and Correct Rejections	Task is the same as described in Outcome Measure #10. Reaction times (RT) for hits are mean RTs of correct responses to relevant targets. RTs for correct rejections are mean RTs for correct rejections are mean RTs for correct no responses to irrelevant targets and relevant nontargets.	Baseline, 8 Weeks
Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks (ANT): Focused Attention Task - Standard Deviation of Reaction Times for Hits and Correct Rejections	Task is the same as described in Outcome Measure #10. Standard deviations of reaction times (RT) assess intraindividual variability in RT and refer to the same conditions as those for mean reaction times described in Outcome Measure #11.	Baseline, 8 Weeks
Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks (ANT): Memory Search Task - Error Rates	The memory search task aims at measuring serial search processes to be carried out in working memory. There are 2 blocks (loads) with 40 trials each. Load 1 has 1 target to identify (e.g., an animal). A "yes" is required whenever the target is part of the displayed set of four stimuli (all animals). Load 2 has 2 targets. Whenever 1 of the targets appears in the successively displayed sets of four animals, a "yes" is required. Targets are present in 50% of trials. Error rates are the percentages of errors made in each task condition, based on the number of errors/total number of trials X 100.	Baseline, 8 Weeks
Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks (ANT): Memory Search Task - Reaction Times for Hits and Correct Rejections	Memory search task aims at measuring serial search processes to be carried out in working memory. There are 2 blocks (loads) with 40 trials each. Load 1 has 1 target to remember (one animal). A "yes" is required whenever the target is part of displayed set of 4 animals. Load 2 has 2 animals. A "yes" is required whenever one of the animals appears in successively displayed sets of 4 animals. Targets are present in 50% of the trials. Reaction time (RT) for hits is mean RT of correct "yes" responses to targets. RT correct rejections are mean RTs of correct "no" responses when target was missing.	Baseline, 8 Weeks
Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks (ANT): Memory Search Task - Standard Deviation (SD) of Reaction Times for Hits and Correct Rejections	Task is the same as described in Outcome Measure #14. Standard deviations of reaction times (RT) assess intraindividual variability in RT referring to the two conditions creating hits and correct rejections as mentioned in Outcome Measure #14.	Baseline, 8 weeks
Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks (ANT): Pursuit Motor Control Task - Accuracy	A complex visuo-motor flexibility task that aims at measuring eye-hand co-ordination and fine motor control. By moving mouse cursor, the child is required to follow as closely as possible a target that randomly moves across the PC-screen. Accuracy is the mean distance between the mouse cursor and the moving target.	Baseline, 8 weeks
Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks (ANT): Pursuit Motor Control Task - Stability of Movement	A complex visuo-motor flexibility task that measures eye-hand co-ordination and fine motor control. By moving mouse cursor, the child is required to follow as closely as possible a target that randomly moves across the PC-screen. Stability is within subject variability of mean distance between cursor and target.	Baseline, 8 weeks
Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks (ANT): Go/No-Go Response Inhibition Task - Error Rates	Measures inhibition of pre-potent responses. 24 Go signals (open squares) are presented, randomly mixed with 24 No-Go signals (closed squares). Subjects are required to press a key if a Go signal (target) appears on the screen but to withhold a response if they see a No-Go signal. Error rate is the percentage of key presses to No-Go signals/total number of trials X 100.	Baseline, 8 weeks
Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks (ANT): Flanker Interference Task - Error Rates	Measures ability to neglect stimuli interfering with predefined stimulus-response coupling. Child presented with displays of 9 colored squares. Child responds to color of central square by pressing left mouse key when blue, and right mouse key when yellow. Part 1 (40 trials), surrounding squares may be same color (compatible) or different (neutral). Part 2 (80 trials), in 50% of trials, surrounding squares have color corresponding to predefined key press for other hand (incompatible). Error rates are percentages of errors in response to compatible and incompatible signals, respectively.	Baseline, 8 weeks
Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks (ANT): Flanker Interference Task - Reaction Times	Task is the same as described in Outcome Measure #19. Mean reaction times (RTs) are computed for correct responses to compatible and incompatible flankers, respectively.	Baseline, 8 weeks
Cytochrome P450 2D6 Genotype	Genotype characterization was used to determine participants' metabolic status.	baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Eli Lilly and Company

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Bangs ME, Wietecha LA, Wang S, Buchanan AS, Kelsey DK. Meta-analysis of suicide-related behavior or ideation in child, adolescent, and adult patients treated with atomoxetine. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2014 Oct;24(8):426-34. doi: 10.1089/cap.2014.0005. Epub 2014 Jul 14.
• Harfterkamp M, Buitelaar JK, Minderaa RB, van de Loo-Neus G, van der Gaag RJ, Hoekstra PJ. Atomoxetine in autism spectrum disorder: no effects on social functioning; some beneficial effects on stereotyped behaviors, inappropriate speech, and fear of change. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2014 Nov;24(9):481-5. doi: 10.1089/cap.2014.0026. Epub 2014 Nov 4.
• van der Meer JM, Harfterkamp M, van de Loo-Neus G, Althaus M, de Ruiter SW, Donders AR, de Sonneville LM, Buitelaar JK, Hoekstra PJ, Rommelse NN. A randomized, double-blind comparison of atomoxetine and placebo on response inhibition and interference control in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2013 Dec;33(6):824-7. doi: 10.1097/JCP.0b013e31829c764f. No abstract available.
• Harfterkamp M, Buitelaar JK, Minderaa RB, van de Loo-Neus G, van der Gaag RJ, Hoekstra PJ. Long-term treatment with atomoxetine for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: an open-label extension study. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2013 Apr;23(3):194-9. doi: 10.1089/cap.2012.0012. Epub 2013 Apr 11.
• Harfterkamp M, van de Loo-Neus G, Minderaa RB, van der Gaag RJ, Escobar R, Schacht A, Pamulapati S, Buitelaar JK, Hoekstra PJ. A randomized double-blind study of atomoxetine versus placebo for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2012 Jul;51(7):733-41. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2012.04.011. Epub 2012 May 25.

Helpful Links

• Lilly Clinical Trial Registry

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: October 1, 2006
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 1, 2008
• Study Completion (Actual): October 1, 2008

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 22, 2006
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 22, 2006
• First Posted (Estimate): September 26, 2006

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): May 11, 2010
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 5, 2010
• Last Verified: May 1, 2010

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Pathologic Processes; Nervous System Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Dyskinesias; Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Disease; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Autistic Disorder; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Hyperkinesis; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Adrenergic Agents; Neurotransmitter Agents; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors; Membrane Transport Modulators; Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors; Atomoxetine Hydrochloride
• Other Study ID Numbers: 10483 (Other Identifier: CTEP); B4Z-UT-S017 (Other Identifier: Eli Lilly and Company)