- ICH GCP
- US Clinical Trials Registry
- Clinical Trial NCT00927030
Melatonin for Sleep in Children With Autism (NICHD)
June 28, 2012 updated by: Beth Ann Malow, Vanderbilt University
Melatonin for Sleep in Children With Autism: Safety Tolerability and Dose
The purpose of this study is to determine if liquid supplemental melatonin is an effective treatment for children with autism who have sleep problems related to insomnia (difficulty falling asleep).
Study Overview
Status
Completed
Conditions
Intervention / Treatment
Detailed Description
Sleep difficulties in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are common reasons why parents seek medical intervention for their children.
Identifying a safe and effective pharmacologic agent that promotes sleep in ASD would favorably impact the lives of these children and their families.
In this study we plan to determine the dose-response, tolerability and any adverse effects of supplemental melatonin in 30 children with ASD.The melatonin dose levels are 1mg, 3mg, 6mg, and 9mg.
After a 3 week baseline period, the child will begin melatonin at 1mg and will dose escalate every three weeks until he/she is falling asleep within 30 minutes of bedtime at least 5/7 nights per week.
No child will take more than 9 mg of supplemental melatonin.
Study Type
Interventional
Enrollment (Actual)
17
Phase
- Phase 1
Contacts and Locations
This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.
Study Locations
-
-
Tennessee
-
Nashville, Tennessee, United States, 37232-2551
- Vanderbilt Medical Center
-
-
Participation Criteria
Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.
Eligibility Criteria
Ages Eligible for Study
4 years to 10 years (Child)
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Genders Eligible for Study
All
Description
Inclusion Criteria:
- Children with autism ages 4-10 years.
- Diagnosis of autism based on Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS).
- Time to fall asleep of 30 minutes or longer by parent report at least 3 nights/week in the last 3 months.
- Children may take seasonal allergy medications.
- Children may take the following medications for the same dose at least 3 months: Citalopram (Celexa), Escitalopram (Lexapro), Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine (Adderall), Atomoxetine (Strattera), Methylphenidate(Ritalin), Dextroamphetamine(Dexedrine), Risperidone (Risperdal.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Children taking medications other than those in the inclusion criteria.
- Children with primary sleep disorder other than insomnia (such as sleep-disordered breathing).
- Children with non-febrile unprovoked epileptic seizure within the last two years.
- Children with liver disease or high fat diets, as melatonin metabolism may be affected in these children.
- Children who are visually impaired (partially or completely blind) as light suppresses melatonin synthesis and these children may have altered diurnal melatonin rhythms.
- Children with known genetic syndromes co-morbid with autism including fragile X, Down syndrome, neurofibromatosis, or tuberous sclerosis.
- Children who have outside normal limits on blood work for complete blood count, liver and renal function and hormone levels of ACTH, cortisol, LH, FSH, prolactin, testosterone and estradiol.
- Tanner staging beyond level 1 at any time point in the study.
- Children whose assessment score does not place them on the autism spectrum.
Study Plan
This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.
How is the study designed?
Design Details
- Primary Purpose: Treatment
- Allocation: Randomized
- Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
- Masking: Single
Arms and Interventions
Participant Group / Arm |
Intervention / Treatment |
---|---|
Experimental: Pharmacokinetic
We hope to target 12 of the 30 children to be enrolled for this study to participate in a pharmacokinetic arm of the study.
These 12 children would be receiving overnight sleep studies prior to receiving the first dose of melatonin and again at about every 3 week intervals each time the dose increases until the child is falling asleep within 30 minutes of bedtime on 5/7 nights per week.
During the sleep studies an intravenous catheter will be placed in the child's arm to sample small amounts of blood throughout the day (about 3 teaspoons of blood)to allow us to look at how melatonin is produced in children with autism who have sleep problems.
|
Liquid melatonin will be given to the parent.
There are 4 dose levels (1mg, 3mg, 6 mg, and 9mg)of melatonin that will be used at 3 week intervals.
The child will start with 1mg and the dose will be increased at 3 week intervals until the child is falling asleep within 30 minutes of bedtime on 5/7 nights per week.
Once this goal is reached the child will stay on that dose through the remainder of the study.
Other Names:
|
Placebo Comparator: flavored inert liquid
Of the 30 targeted participants, 18 will be randomized at the first three week dosing period {1mg of melatonin}.
The randomization will be single blind to the parent in a 5:1 ratio (15 children will receive melatonin, and 3 children will receive a flavored placebo at the first 3-week period only).
After the initial 3-week dose cycle of 1 mg, all children randomized to placebo will begin 3 mg of melatonin and will continue in dose increase (6mg, 9 mg)until they meet the criteria of falling asleep within 30 minutes of bedtime 5/7 nights per week.
No child will take more than 9 mg.
|
Single blind for parents at initial 3-weeks dose period of 1 mg melatonin for 18 children where 3/18 children will receive placebo and 15/18 children will receive melatonin study drug.
Each bottle will be labeled as: Flavored liquid placebo/or liquid melatonin.
After this initial 3-week period all children will receive known melatonin in bottles that state this.
Other Names:
|
What is the study measuring?
Primary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Time Frame |
---|---|
Determine dose-response, tolerability, and adverse effects of melatonin in 30 children with autism.
Time Frame: Two Years from study start
|
Two Years from study start
|
Secondary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Time Frame |
---|---|
A sub-set of 12 children will be studied to characterize the pharmacokinetic profile of orally administered melatonin.
Time Frame: 2 years from start of study
|
2 years from start of study
|
A group of behavioral and parental stress measures will be piloted for the participants in this study.
Time Frame: 2 years from start of study
|
2 years from start of study
|
Collaborators and Investigators
This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.
Sponsor
Collaborators
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Beth A Malow, MD, MS, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Study record dates
These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.
Study Major Dates
Study Start
January 1, 2008
Primary Completion (Actual)
April 1, 2010
Study Completion (Actual)
October 1, 2010
Study Registration Dates
First Submitted
June 22, 2009
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
June 23, 2009
First Posted (Estimate)
June 24, 2009
Study Record Updates
Last Update Posted (Estimate)
July 2, 2012
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
June 28, 2012
Last Verified
June 1, 2012
More Information
Terms related to this study
Additional Relevant MeSH Terms
- Mental Disorders
- Nervous System Diseases
- Sleep Disorders, Intrinsic
- Dyssomnias
- Sleep Wake Disorders
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Child Development Disorders, Pervasive
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
- Autistic Disorder
- Physiological Effects of Drugs
- Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
- Central Nervous System Depressants
- Protective Agents
- Antioxidants
- Melatonin
Other Study ID Numbers
- 071269
Drug and device information, study documents
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product
No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product
No
product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.
No
This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.
Clinical Trials on Insomnia
-
Leiden UniversityBioClock Consortium; Caring UniveristiesCompleted
-
National Science Council, TaiwanCompleted
-
Sunshine Lake Pharma Co., Ltd.Unknown
-
Pfizer's Upjohn has merged with Mylan to form Viatris...Completed
-
Massachusetts General HospitalNational Institutes of Health (NIH)Completed
-
IpsenCompletedThe Effectiveness of Circadin in Improving Quality of Sleep in Patients Aged 55 or Over (QUALISLEEP)InsomniaRussian Federation
-
Charite University, Berlin, GermanyCompleted
-
Roxane LaboratoriesCompleted
-
Butler HospitalSunovionCompleted
Clinical Trials on supplemental liquid melatonin
-
McMaster UniversitySt. Joseph's Healthcare HamiltonActive, not recruiting
-
Aragon Institute of Health SciencesMinisterio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e IgualdadUnknownSeptic Shock | Severe SepsisSpain
-
Tan, LijieUnknown
-
Emory UniversitySave the ChildrenCompleted
-
University of California, DavisRecruitingDiabetes Mellitus, Type 1United States
-
North Karelia Central HospitalCompleted
-
New York State Psychiatric InstituteNational Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)Not yet recruitingInflammation | Family Relations | HPA | CBCLUnited States, Brazil
-
University of WashingtonCompletedWound Infection or Endometritis Post Cesarean Section
-
Uppsala UniversityKarolinska Institutet; University of California, Los Angeles; Umeå UniversityRecruitingPhysical Activity | COPD | SedentarySweden