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Psychotropic Medication Use among Insured Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Jeanne M Madden1,2, Matthew D Lakoma3, Frances L Lynch4

  • 1Department of Pharmacy and Health Systems Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue R218X TF, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. j.madden@northeastern.edu.

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
|November 7, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Nearly half of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) use psychotropic medications, significantly more than their peers. This highlights treatment challenges and the need for more research on medication effectiveness in ASD.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Psychiatry
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition.
  • Psychotropic medication use in children with ASD is a growing concern.
  • Limited evidence exists for the efficacy of many psychotropic medications in pediatric ASD populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the prevalence of psychotropic medication use in children with ASD.
  • To compare psychotropic medication use in children with ASD to matched controls without ASD.
  • To identify common classes of psychotropic medications prescribed to children with ASD.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cohort study involving 7901 children aged 1-17 with ASD.
  • Comparison with matched cohorts of children without ASD across five health systems.
  • Analysis of psychotropic medication classes including stimulants, alpha-agonists, atomoxetine, antipsychotics, and antidepressants.

Main Results:

  • 48.5% of children with ASD received psychotropic medications.
  • Psychotropic use was significantly higher in children with ASD (48.5%) compared to controls (7.7%).
  • Commonly prescribed classes were stimulants/alpha-agonists/atomoxetine (30.2%), antipsychotics (20.5%), and antidepressants (17.8%).

Conclusions:

  • Psychotropic medication use is highly prevalent in children with ASD.
  • Disparities in psychotropic use exist between children with and without ASD, even when controlling for other psychiatric diagnoses.
  • The findings underscore the need for improved evaluation and evidence-based treatment strategies for ASD.

Keywords:
AntipsychoticsAutism spectrum disorderComorbiditiesEpidemiological studiesMedications

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