title: Weight and leptin changes among risperidone-treated youths with autism: 6-month prospective data.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors examined the developmental impact and temporal characteristics of risperidone-associated weight change.
  
  
  METHODS
  Weight change was measured for 63 children and adolescents with autism treated with risperidone for 6 months. Change in serum leptin levels after 2 months was examined as a predictor of final weight gain in mixed regression models that controlled for site, gender, age, and risperidone dose.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age- and gender-standardized weight increased after 6 months of treatment (gross: mean=5.6 kg [SD=3.9]; standardized: mean=0.6 z [SD=0.5]) and was positively correlated with weight gained after 1 month. Change in leptin levels after 2 months of treatment (mean=-0.3 ng/ml, SD=6.2) (N=48) did not predict final weight gain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic risperidone exposure in children with autism causes weight gain in excess of developmentally expected norms that follows a curvilinear trajectory and decelerates over time. Serum leptin change does not reliably predict risperidone-associated weight gain.
authors.affiliation: Yale Child Study Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. andres.martin@yale.edu
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scahill
authors.forename: George M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aman
authors.forename: L Eugene
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McCracken
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: McDougle
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tierney
authors.forename: Shirley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Benedetto
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vitiello
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018967:Risperidone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D020738:Leptin; D018967:Risperidone