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Treating Oxidative Stress in Children With Autism

Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute logo

Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute

Status

Completed

Conditions

Autistic Disorder

Treatments

Drug: Methylcobalamin (methylB12)

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

Details and patient eligibility

About

An open label trial was undertaken in 40 autistic children to determine whether treatment with metabolic precursors methylcobalamin and folinic acid would improve plasma biomarkers of oxidative stress and measures of core behavior using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS). Metabolites involved in methionine and glutathione synthesis and VABS behavior scores were measured before and after a three month intervention period.

The results indicated that pre-treatment metabolites in autistic children were significantly different from values in age-matched control children. The three month intervention resulted in significant increases in cysteine, cysteinylglycine, and glutathione (GSH, p < 0.001). The oxidized disulfide form of glutathione (GSSG) was decreased (p < 0.008) and the glutathione redox ratio (GSH/GSSG) was increased after treatment (p < 0.001). Although significantly improved, these metabolites remained below control levels after intervention (p > 0.01). Similarly, increases in VABS composite score and sub-scores for Socialization, Communication, and Daily Living Skills increased after treatment (p < 0.007) but also remained below standard scores.

Enrollment

40 patients

Sex

All

Ages

3 to 7 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

  • Clinical diagnosis of Autistic Disorder by DSM-IV 299.0 or CARS score >30

Exclusion criteria

  • Primary genetic disease with co-morbid autism
  • frequent seizures
  • recent surgery
  • active infection with fever
  • high dose vitamin/mineral supplements
  • severe gastrointestinal symptoms

Trial design

Primary purpose

Treatment

Allocation

Non-Randomized

Interventional model

Single Group Assignment

Masking

None (Open label)

40 participants in 2 patient groups

Methyl B12
Experimental group
Description:
Subcutaneous injection of 75 micrograms/Kg
Treatment:
Drug: Methylcobalamin (methylB12)
Folinic Acid
Experimental group
Description:
400 micrograms orally twice a day
Treatment:
Drug: Methylcobalamin (methylB12)

Trial contacts and locations

1

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Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov

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