Trichuris Suis Ova Adult Autism Symptom Domains
Summary
The purpose of this study is to determine whether Trichuris Suis Ova (TSO) is safe and effective in treating adults with serious behavioral problems related to autism.
Description
Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder affecting social, communicative, and compulsive/repetitive behaviors. It is also frequently accompanied by aggression, self-injury, and irritability, making care for these individuals a significant challenge for families or institutional settings. Currently risperidone is the only medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for irritability associated with autism, although not all patients respond to risperidone or are able to tolerate its side effects. As such, additional targeted treatments need to be explored in autism. Neuroimmune disturbance has been demonstrated in patients with autism (Ashwood et al., 2006; DelGuidice, 2003) and the presence of neuroinflammation may play a role in initiating or maintaining CNS dysfunction characteristic of the disorder (Pardo et al, 2005). Therefore, there is considerable interest in using immunomodulatory medications to address core and associated symptoms.
Trichuris suis ova (TSO) are the eggs of intestinal helminthes which induce Th2 cytokine release and nonspecifically downregulate Th1 responsiveness (Summers et al., 2003). Treatment with TSO has been shown to have a beneficial effect in autoimmune inflammatory bowel disease (Summers et al, 2003; Summers et al., 2005a; Summers et al., 2005b) and anecdotal reports from patients with autism have demonstrated that TSO may be effective in reducing repetitive behaviors, aggression, self-injury, and impulsivity.
To date, many medications have been used in individuals with autism and the history of psychopharmacology of autism is notable for the exaggerated benefit of a variety of treatments. To date, most medication studies in the field have been open-label without use of a placebo control and without systematic behavioral assessments. The current practice of prescribing medications to patients with autism without scientifically demonstrated efficacy underscores the necessity for methodologically rigorous studies to be conducted.
We propose a 16 week, open-label trial of TSO to assess the effect on repetitive behaviors, aggression and irritability, and global functioning in adults with autistic disorder. The objectives of the proposed study are to develop an innovative treatment approach to autism by 1) assessing the safety and efficacy of TSO treatment using behavioral and laboratory outcome measures; 2) determining whether this treatment has sufficient promise to warrant consideration of a larger, multi-centered, placebo-controlled clinical trial; 3) conducting secondary analyses to explore the relationship between clinical features, immune mechanisms, and treatment response.
Study Design
Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Conditions
Autism
Intervention
Trichuris Suis Ova
Location
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
New York
New York
United States
10029
Status
Recruiting
Source
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Results (where available)
Links
- Source: http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01040221
- Information obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov on July 15, 2010
Medical and Biotech [MESH] Definitions
Asperger Syndrome
A childhood disorder predominately affecting boys and similar to autism (AUTISTIC DISORDER). It is characterized by severe, sustained, clinically significant impairment of social interaction, and restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior. In contrast to autism, there are no clinically significant delays in language or cognitive development. (From DSM-IV)
Trichuris
A genus of nematode worms comprising the whipworms.
Trichuriasis
Infection with nematodes of the genus TRICHURIS, formerly called Trichocephalus.
Brucella Suis
A species of gram-negative bacteria, primarily infecting SWINE, but it can also infect humans, DOGS, and HARES.
Streptococcus Suis
A species of STREPTOCOCCUS isolated from pigs. It is a pathogen of swine but rarely occurs in humans.
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PubMed Articles
The whipworms Trichuris trichiura and Trichuris suis in humans and pigs, respectively, are believed to be two different species yet closely related. Morphologically, adult worms, eggs and larvae of th...
The two geohelminths, Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura, infect more than a billion people worldwide but are only reported sporadically in the developed part of the world. In contrast, the...
Immune monitoring of Trichuris suis egg therapy in multiple sclerosis patients.
Initial clinical trials using Trichuris suis eggs (TSO) in autoimmune diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, revealed a striking suppressive effect on the autoimmune response. Here, we analysed...
Trichuris suis ova: Testing a helminth-based therapy as an extension of the hygiene hypothesis.
The hygiene hypothesis, which was put forward more than 20 years ago by Strachan, proposes that the recent increase in allergic and autoimmune diseases is due to increasing hygiene standards. Since th...
A recurrent problem in the control of whipworm (Trichuris spp.) infections in many animal species and man is the relatively low efficacy of treatment with a single application of benzimidazoles (BZs)....
