title: Haloperidol withdrawal and weight changes in autistic children.
abstract: The long-term effects of haloperidol on weight were assessed in 30 children, 25 males and 5 females, diagnosed with autistic disorder whose ages ranged from 3.08 to 8.42 years. They received haloperidol (0.25-3.50 mg/day; mean 1.26 +/- 0.84) for 6 months followed by a 4-week drug withdrawal period. Weights obtained on the last day of the 6-month haloperidol period were compared to weights obtained following drug withdrawal. There was no significant difference between the mean weights obtained on the last day of haloperidol administration (24.799 +/- 9.741 kg) compared to the mean weights at the end of the fourth week of the placebo period (24.644 +/- 9.833 kg). Weights increased during the first week of drug discontinuation (24.879 +/- 9.855 kg), but decreased during each following week of drug withdrawal. Weight was measured monthly during the 6-month haloperidol treatment period for 8 of the 30 subjects. In this subsample, weight gain was greater during the 1-month period lasting from the end of the 4-week drug withdrawal to the end of the first month after resuming haloperidol treatment than weight gain prior to drug withdrawal, between the fifth and sixth month of haloperidol treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, New York University Medical Center, NY 10016.
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Malone
authors.forename: L T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shay
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Campbell
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D006220:Haloperidol