Ho H H, Lockitch G, Eaves L, Jacobson B
J Pediatr. 1986 Mar;108(3):465-9. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(86)80903-9.
Whole-blood serotonin concentrations of 31 autistic children, aged 2 1/2 to 16 years, 10 non-autistic retarded children, and 18 children with Down syndrome were measured by a fluorometric method and compared with those of normal children of similar age range. No significant difference in the serotonin concentration per milliliter of whole blood or per 1000 platelets was found between groups for autistic, retarded, or normal children, but the values for those with Down syndrome were significantly lower. A double-blind cross-over study on the effect of fenfluramine versus placebo in seven autistic boys over a period of 8 months demonstrated a significant decrease in blood serotonin levels during the fenfluramine phase in all subjects. Slight improvements were found in short-term auditory memory and some measures of receptive language skills, particularly in children functioning at a high level. There was no significant change in global psychometric measurements of general intelligence during therapy. No adverse clinical effect was observed other than weight loss of 6% in one child. We conclude that fenfluramine may have some selective favorable effects on increasing attention in high-functioning autistic children. Blood serotonin concentration may be followed as an indication of drug compliance during fenfluramine therapy, but does not appear to reflect clinical efficacy.
采用荧光法测量了31名年龄在2岁半至16岁之间的自闭症儿童、10名非自闭症智力迟钝儿童以及18名唐氏综合征患儿的全血血清素浓度，并与年龄范围相似的正常儿童进行了比较。自闭症儿童、智力迟钝儿童或正常儿童组之间，每毫升全血或每1000个血小板中的血清素浓度均未发现显著差异，但唐氏综合征患儿的值明显较低。一项针对7名自闭症男孩进行的为期8个月的芬氟拉明与安慰剂效果的双盲交叉研究表明，在芬氟拉明治疗阶段，所有受试者的血液血清素水平均显著下降。在短期听觉记忆和一些接受性语言技能测量方面发现有轻微改善，尤其是在功能较高的儿童中。治疗期间一般智力的整体心理测量指标没有显著变化。除了一名儿童体重减轻6%外，未观察到其他不良临床效果。我们得出结论，芬氟拉明可能对提高高功能自闭症儿童的注意力有一些选择性的有利影响。在芬氟拉明治疗期间，可跟踪血液血清素浓度以指示药物依从性，但似乎不能反映临床疗效。
