Autism Updates: Antidepressant Use Linked with Autism; New Guidelines Result in Higher Percentage of Children Considered Autistic

Use of antidepressants during pregnancy increased the risk of a child developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to research published in JAMA Pediatrics.1 Also, changes to the 2014 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) resulted in a significantly higher percentage of families categorizing their children as having ASD.2

Researchers in a register-based study of an ongoing population-based cohort in Quebec reviewed files of more than 145 000 mothers pregnant between 1998 and 2009 and their children.

Researchers identified 0.7% of children in the study as having ASD; boys with ASD outnumbered girls with ASD by four to one. Maternal use of antidepressants during the second and/or third trimester nearly doubled the risk of a child having ASD. Use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors more than doubled the risk. The risks remained after adjusting for maternal depression.

A separate study found that changes to the NHIS question order and approaches to asking about ASD resulted in a 1% increase in the reported prevalence of ASD, a statistically significant increase. The prevalence of children categorized as having a developmental disorder declined by 1% in 2014, also a statistically significant decrease. The changes in numbers suggest that the new questionnaire encouraged some respondents to categorize ASD as a developmental disorder in NHIS surveys before 2014.

1. Boukhris T, Sheehy O, Mottron L, Bérand A. Antidepressant use during pregnancy and the risk of autism spectrum disorder in children [published online ahead of print December 14, 2015]. JAMA Pediatr.

2. Zablotsky B, Black LI; National Center for Health Statistics. Estimated prevalence of autism and other developmental disabilities following questionnaire changes in the 2014 National Health Interview Survey. National Health Statistics Reports. 87; November 13, 2015.

Diabetic Foot Ulcer Treatment Approved

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new indication for the Omnigraft Dermal Regeneration Matrix (Integra LifeSciences) to treat certain diabetic foot ulcers. The matrix device is made of silicone, cow collagen, and shark cartilage. Placed over an ulcer, it provides an environment for new skin and tissue to regenerate to heal the wound.

The device is now approved to treat diabetic foot ulcers that last longer than 6 weeks and do not involve exposure of the joint capsule, tendon, or bone. The FDA approved the device for treatment of life-threatening burn injuries in 1996 and approved an indication to treat patients undergoing reconstructive surgery for burn scars in 2002.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 29 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with diabetes, 25% of whom experience a foot ulcer during their lifetimes. Chronic foot ulcers secondary to diabetes result in 50 000 amputations per year.

Prescription Drug Prices Rose More Than 10% in 2015

The prices of prescription drugs rose more than 10% in 2015, according to an analysis by the health care data company Truveris. The company’s findings were reported in The Washington Post on January 11.

Truveris found that the prices of branded drugs rose by 15% in 2015. The prices for specialty drugs rose by 9%, and the prices of generic drugs rose by 3%.

The Washington Post noted that some classes of drug saw larger price increases than others. Prices for drugs used to treat menopause, for example, rose by 34%. Prices for drugs used to treat gout and erectile dysfunction rose by 33% and 20%, respectively. n

Section Editor David S. Boyer, MD
• clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, department of ophthalmology, in Los Angeles, Calif.
• member of the Retina Today editorial board
• +1-310-854-6201; vitdoc@aol.com