title: Effectiveness, safety, and pharmacokinetics of quetiapine in aggressive children with conduct disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide an initial description of the effectiveness and pharmacokinetics (PK) of quetiapine in aggressive children with conduct disorder (CD).
  
  
  METHODS
  This 8-week, open-label outpatient trial, enrolled patients ages 6 to 12 years with CD. Outcome measures included the Rating of Aggression Against People and/or Property Scale (RAAPPS), Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form (NCBRF), and the Conners Parent Rating Scale (CPRS-48). Blood sampling for PK analyses occurred at the end of weeks 2 and 8.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen children (16 boys, mean age 8.9 years) were treated. The mean dose at week 8 was 4.4 mg/kg (SD = 1.1 mg/kg). Significant decreases in the baseline scores of the RAAPPS, and several subscales of the NCBRF and the CPRS were found by the end of the study (p <.05). No patients discontinued because of an adverse event. No patients experienced extrapyramidal side effects. Quetiapine disposition was linear over the dose range studied. The elimination half-life of the drug averaged 3.9 and 2.9 hours and total body clearance averaged 3.5 and 3.0 L/hr/kg after study weeks 2 and 8, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These preliminary data suggest that aggressive children with CD may benefit from quetiapine. The PK of quetiapine supports twice-daily dosing in children with CD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals of Cleveland, Cleveland, OH 44106-5080, USA. robert.findling@uhhs.com
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Findling
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: Mary Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: O'Riordan
authors.forename: Christine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Demeter
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Stansbrey
authors.forename: Nora K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: McNamara
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000523:psychology; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001519:Behavior; D002648:Child; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate