Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Minors With Anorexia Nervosa in Remission

• Conditions: Anorexia Nervosa; Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Registration Number: NCT04095741
• Lead Sponsor: Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel

Brief Summary

With this investigation, researchers wil look for a link between the appearance of anorexia nervosa and autism spectrum disorders in minors. Previous studies made clear already that patients with anorexia nervosa show elevated characteristics of autism spectrum disorder, when being meassured in adults and in patients in the acute fase of their anorexia nervosa. The purpose of this invenstigation is to see if their is also an elevated incidence of characteristics of autism spectrum disorder in minors with anorexia nervosa in remission.

Detailed Description

34 patients who are still minors and were previously treated in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department (PAika) of the University Hospital in Brussels, will be contacted to ask if they would volunteer in this investigation. If the minors and their parents give their permission, they will be asked to fill in multiple questionnaires, measuring the current symptoms of anorexia nervosa, characteristics of autism spectrum disorder and global functioning of the minors. The questionnaires will be send and returned by post.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2019-04-17
• Status Verified: 2019-09
• Study First Submitted QC: 2019-09-17
• Last Update Submitted: 2019-09-17
• Study First Posted: 2019-09-19
• Last Update Posted: 2019-09-19
• Study Start: 2019-10-01
• Primary Completion: 2020-03-31
• Study Completion: 2020-03-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: UNKNOWN
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 34

Inclusion Criteria

• Patients speaking Dutch
• Previously treated in UZ Brussel for anorexia nervosa
• Informed consent signed by children and parent(s)

Exclusion Criteria

• Patients and/or parents don't speak Dutch
• Adults
• No informed consent obtained

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Symptoms of autism spectrum disorder	The measurment will be done once during the period of October 2019 to March 2020.	Symptoms of autism spectrum disorder will be measured by questionnaires, filled in by the minors (by the Autism-spectrum Quotient) and their parents (by the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 and the Social Communication Questionnaire).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Global functioning	The measurment will be done once during the period of October 2019 to March 2020	Global functioning will be measured by questionnaires, filled in by the minors (by the Youth Self Report) and their parents (by the Child Behavior Checklist).
Symptoms of anorexia nervosa	The measurment will be done once during the period of October 2019 to March 2020	Symptoms of anorexia nervosa will be measured by questionnaires, filled in by the minors (by the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire and the Child Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire) and their parents (by the Anorectic Behavior Observation Scale).

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

UZ Brussel; 🇧🇪 Brussel, Belgium