INVESTIGATION OF RISPERIDONE; CASE OF SELECTED PATIENTS FROM KENYA

Risperidone is considered as an atypical antipsychotic. It is considered as an effective treatment of psychotic disorders in adults. However, our understanding of its usage among young individuals is limited. In this study, the objective was to identify the safety profile of Risperidone among young children. Methodology wise, the study was conducted among children of less than 5 years old who were treating behavioral problems associated with various childhood disorders. The study was conducted in a hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. Common childhood disorders were diagnosed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM IV) and those associated with disruptive behavioral problems. We used Clinical Global Impression- Severity (CGI-S) and Improvement (CGI-I) scales for symptoms severity and improvement respectively. We took informed consents from parents of the children and initiated Risperidone. The total of 12 patients were included in the study consist of PDD (n=4), PDD plus ADHD (n=2), PDD plus ADHD plus Intellectual disability (n=2), Cerebral Palsy with Epilepsy (n=2) and Global developmental delay (n=2). Baseline and end point CGI scores were 5-6 and 1-2 respectively. Baseline investigations such as lipid profile, fasting blood sugar levels, Electro cardiogram (ECG) were recorded and compared before and after initiation of risperidone. Dose range of risperidone was 0.5-2mg per day. Common side effects were sedation and weight gain in a few patients only. No life-threatening side effects were noted. Our conclusion is that risperidone is well tolerated even in children below 5 years of age over a period of 1 year with improvement in target symptoms