A window into young hearts: new biomarkers may spot antipsychotic side effects early
NCT ID NCT00894738
First seen Aug 20, 2026 · Last updated Aug 21, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study explores whether two non-invasive measures—fat in the liver and thickness of the carotid artery—can serve as early warning signs of heart and metabolic problems in children treated with antipsychotic medications. Researchers will compare these measures in children on antipsychotics to healthy peers, and see how well they align with standard blood tests like cholesterol and inflammation markers. The goal is to lay groundwork for better monitoring tools in this vulnerable group.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Diagnostic procedures: liver magnetic resonance spectroscopy, carotid ultrasound, DEXA scan, and blood tests
- What this could lead to
- If these measures prove reliable, they could become standard tools to catch heart and metabolic risks early in children on antipsychotics, guiding safer treatment.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early study, so results may not apply broadly. The measures are not yet validated, and the trial only looks at associations, not outcomes.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
-
44 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Jan 2010
- Finished
-
Jun 2016
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Children ages 6-18 who are currently being treated for a psychiatric condition with an antipsychotic medication, and age- and gender-matched healthy controls who are not treated with an antipsychotic medication.
- Ages
-
6 to 18 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
The inclusion criteria for the treatment group participants are: i) aged approximately 6-18 years; ii) BMI percentile between approximately 25 and 99; iii) otherwise healthy and meets DSM-IV criteria for one or more childhood onset psychiatric disorder, any type (determined by semi-structured Missouri Assessment of Genetics Interview for Children or MAGIC-described below and at the discretion of the PI), treated with an antipsychotic \> approximately 12 weeks; iv) able to give assent and have a guardian that can provide informed consent; and v) no antipsychotic medication dose changes for approximately 1 month, and no other medication changes for 1 month prior to study enrollment. The inclusion criteria for healthy controls are: i) aged 6-18 years; ii) BMI percentile between approximately 25 and 99 iii) otherwise healthy and at the PI's discretion do not meet DSM-IV criteria for any Axis I psychiatric illness; iv) not currently taking any medications; and v) able to give assent, and have a guardian that can provide informed consent. The exclusion criteria are: i) active suicidality or a primary diagnosis of major depressive disorder; ii) any lifetime use of antipsychotics; individual subjects with a remote, brief prior antipsychotic exposure may be considered for enrollment on a case by case basis by the PI; iii) the presence of any serious medical disorder that may confound the assessment of relevant biologic measures or diagnoses, including: significant organ system dysfunction; endocrine disease, including type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus; coagulopathy; anemia; or acute infection; all based on PI discretion; iv) subjects regularly taking within the last 3 months any glucose lowering agent, lipid lowering agent, exogenous testosterone, recombinant human growth hormone, or any other endocrine agent that might confound substrate metabolism, oral glucocorticoids (glucocorticoid nasal spray and inhalers are permitted), sedating antihistamines (non-sedating antihistamines such as but not limited to Claritin (loratadine) and Zyrtec (cetirizine) are permitted), and certain mood stabilizing agents, as some medications may themselves worsen or otherwise alter weight gain, glucose and lipid regulation or otherwise make it difficult to assess the effects of the antipsychotic alone; (note that exposure to many psychotropic agents including stimulants and SSRI's is permitted in order to maintain the generalizability of the sample); v) IQ \< 70 (based on school records and/or evaluation by clinician); vi) current substance abuse; vii) past history of, or current dyskinesia; viii) stimulant dosage significantly higher (per PI judgment) than the equivalent of approximately 2 mg/kg/day methylphenidate equivalent dose.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Mental disorders are added.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Washington University School of Medicine
St Louis, Missouri, 63110, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can flexible mental health care keep people out of the hospital?
- Can a 6,000-Person study unlock personalized depression care for asians?
- Could a lifestyle makeover keep your brain sharp?
- Rewriting the story: can a talking therapy help people shed self-stigma and reclaim their identity?
- Could a simple conversation change how doctors treat mental illness?
- Can a 29-Session coaching program boost employment for people with psychiatric disabilities?