title: Psychotropic medication trends among children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder in the Medicaid program.
abstract: This study characterized psychotropic medication use among Medicaid-enrolled children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders by examining trends over time, including length of treatment and polypharmacy using 4 years of administrative claims data from 41 state Medicaid programs (2000-2003). The data set included nearly 3 million children and adolescents who were 17 years or younger. Approximately, 65% of children with autism spectrum disorder received a psychotropic medication. The results indicate an increasing overall trend in the use of psychotropic drugs among children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Among the different classes of psychotropic drugs, antipsychotics were the most common. Increasing trends in polypharmacy were observed both within and between medication classes.
authors.affiliation: The Pennsylvania State University, USA jschubart@hmc.psu.edu.
authors.forename: Jane R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Schubart
authors.affiliation: The Pennsylvania State University, USA.
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Camacho
authors.affiliation: The Pennsylvania State University, USA.
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Leslie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid; D019338:Polypharmacy; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018692:Antimanic Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives
keywords: Medicaid; autism spectrum disorder; children and adolescents; psychotropic medications