Avaliação da ação comportamental dos psicoestimulantes em crianças portadoras de Perturbação do espetro do autismo com e sem alterações epileptifomes: um estudo transversal

Abstract

Abstract Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often accompanied by comorbid conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and epilepsy. In this context, patients are often treated with psychostimulants in an attempt to control behavioral symptoms. This study aims to understand the behavioral effects of psychostimulants in children with ASD and investigate if epileptiform abnormalities on EEG can act as a modifying factor in this behavior. Methods: Sixty-eight patients with ASD who were being accompanied in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry of the Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João and had previously done an EEG assessment responded to a questionnaire regarding their behavioral response to psychostimulants. Results: 47.4% of patients reported improved agitation, 56.1% enhanced concentration, and 8.8% improved sleep. Conversely, 28.1% experienced worsened agitation, 5.8% worsened concentration, and 17.5% worsened sleep. The remaining reported no alterations. Female gender was significantly associated with worsening agitation and concentration. The age of diagnosis correlated significantly with improved agitation, particularly with a diagnosis age exceeding 1.24 years. EEG with epileptiform abnormalities was significantly associated with worsened concentration. Regarding speech, 86% exhibited no changes, while 14% showed alterations, mostly, 87,5%, characterized as negative. For other behavioral alterations, 45.6% reported negative changes, 3.5% reported positive changes and 50.9% reported no additional alterations. A significant correlation was found between treatment duration and the probability of improvement in agitation, concentration, sleep, speech, and other behavioral changes.