title: Risperidone in children and adolescents with conduct disorder: a single-center, open-label study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Risperidone is one of the most commonly used atypical antipsychotic drugs in the treatment of children and adolescents. However, the data about its use in children and adolescents with conduct disorder (CD) are limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and tolerability of risperidone in controlling major symptoms of CD in children and adolescents diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and severe CD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children and adolescents were eligible for this single-center, open-label study if they met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) diagnostic criteria for ADHD and ODD and also were diagnosed with severe CD. The patients were treated with risperidone in an open-label fashion for 8 weeks, starting at a daily dosage of 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg (depending on their body weight) in 2 divided doses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study population comprised 21 children and adolescents (17 boys, 4 girls) with a mean (SD) age of 10.8 (3.6) years. The mean (SD) dosage of risperidone at the end of 8 weeks of treatment was 1.27 (0.42) mg/d (range, 0.75-2.0 mg/d). On the basis of the global improvement subscale of the Clinical Global Impression scale, 16 of 20 patients (80%) were classified as responders. Significant improvements were observed after risperidone treatment in the inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, ODD, and CD subscales of the Turgay DSM-IV-Based Child and Adolescent Behavior Disorders Screening and Rating Scale (parent and teacher forms). No severe adverse events were reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study are consistent with previous findings and suggest that risperidone may be an effective and well-tolerated atypical antipsychotic drug for the treatment of children and adolescents with CD. However, further studies, particularly placebo-controlled and double-blinded, are needed to better define the clinical use of risperidone in children and adolescents with CD.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ege University, School of Medicine, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Eyüp Sabri
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Ercan
authors.affiliation: Departments of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ege University, School of Medicine, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayşe
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kutlu
authors.affiliation: Departments of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ege University, School of Medicine, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cıkoğlu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Ege University, School of Medicine, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Baybars
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Veznedaroğlu
authors.affiliation: Departments of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ege University, School of Medicine, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serpil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erermiş
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Ege University, School of Medicine, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Azmi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varan
keywords: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; conduct disorder; oppositional defiant disorder; risperidone