A clinical trial of combined anti-androgen and anti-heavy metal therapy in autis

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A clinical trial of combined anti-androgen and anti-heavy metal

therapy in autistic disorders.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed & cmd=Retrieve & dopt=Abstra\

ctPlus & list_uids=17187010 & query_hl=1 & itool=pubmed_docsum

Geier DA,

Geier MR.

Vice-President, The Institute for Chronic Illnesses, Inc. (Silver

Spring, MD 20905), USA. mgeier@....

BACKGROUND: A medical hypothesis has suggested that some autism

spectrum disorders (ASDs) may result from interactions between the

methionine cycle-transsulfuration and androgen pathways following

exposure to mercury. METHODS: The IRB of the Institute for Chronic

Illnesses approved the present study. A novel treatment was utilized

combining LUPRON® (leuprolide acetate, TAP Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)

and CHEMET® (meso-2, 3-dimercaptosuccinic acid - DMSA, McNeil

Consumer Products Company) on 11 consecutive children with ASDs.

RESULTS: A significant (p<0.01) overall improvement from the 70-79th

percentile of severity (median baseline score=87) at baseline to the

40-49th percentile of severity (median end of study period score=63)

at the end of the study was observed for patients treated for a median

of approximately 4 months. Significant improvements in sociability,

cognitive awareness, behavior, and clinical symptoms/behaviors of

hyperandrogenemia were also observed. Significant decreases in blood

androgens and increases in urinary heavy metal concentrations were

observed. Minimal drug adverse effects were found. CONCLUSION: This

study provides the first clinical evidence for the benefit that

combined anti-androgen and anti-heavy metal therapy may have on some

children with ASDs. Additional studies should examine androgen and

heavy metal mechanisms of action in ASDs, and future ASD treatment

protocols should consider androgens and heavy metals.

PMID: 17187010 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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