Bottom Line: Researchers compared the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) fluoxetine with placebo for reducing the frequency and severity of obsessive-compulsive behaviors in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in this randomized clinical trial in Australia. The trial included 146 participants (ages 7 to 18) with ASDs; 75 received fluoxetine and 71 received placebo for 16 weeks. Of the participants, 109 completed the trial. The authors report that for the primary outcome (total scores on an obsessive-compulsive scale modified for pervasive developmental disorder) treatment with fluoxetine compared with placebo resulted in lower scores for obsessive-compulsive behaviors but the interpretation of that finding is limited by a number of factors. These factors include the study's high dropout rate and significant differences found between groups in some measures at baseline.
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Authors: Dinah S. Reddihough, M.D., of the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, and coauthors.
(doi:10.1001/jama.2019.14685)
Editor's Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
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Media advisory: To contact corresponding author Dinah S. Reddihough, M.D., email dinah.reddihough@rch.org.au. The full study and editorial are linked to this news release.Embed this link to provide your readers free access to the full-text article This link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/10.1001/jama.2019.14685?guestAccessKey=51958aff-a578-4f40-8196-0293f4d957b7&utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=102219
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Journal
JAMA