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Xenon Therapy for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Efficacy of Xenon in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Study

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
Phase 1Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07435103
Acronym
ASD; Xe
Enrollment
72
Registered
2026-02-27
Start date
2026-03-01
Completion date
2027-06-30
Last updated
2026-02-27

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Brief summary

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of inhaled xenon for the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The primary objective is to determine whether short-term inhalational xenon therapy can improve social functioning in children with ASD, as measured by changes in the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). Safety and tolerability of xenon inhalation in the pediatric population will also be assessed. In this randomized, placebo-controlled trial, participants will receive either inhaled xenon or a placebo gas (medical air without xenon) to compare treatment effects. Participants will: Inhale 25% xenon or placebo for 10 minutes per day for 10 consecutive days Attend two clinical visits: one immediately after completion of the intervention and one at 3 months post-intervention for follow-up assessments and safety evaluations

Interventions

DRUGXenon

Children aged 4-18 with autism spectrum disorder inhaled a mixture of 25% Xenon via a face mask at an oxygen flow rate of 2 L/min, for 10 minutes per day for 10 day.

Sponsors

The Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
4 Years to 18 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Aged 4-18 years, with no gender restriction. * Meeting the diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as specified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th Edition) (DSM-5), with the diagnosis confirmed by assessment using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2). * The total T-score on the Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition (SRS-2) is ≥90. * No treatment such as neuromodulation (transcranial magnetic stimulation, transcranial electrical stimulation) has been received for at least 1 month prior to randomization. * For participants who have previously taken psychotropic medications prior to randomization, it is required that the medications have been discontinued for a minimum of 5 half-lives or 4 weeks, whichever is longer. * The participants and their legal guardians confirm that they will not add new or alter the existing established treatment regimens such as behavioral rehabilitation during the study period. * The legal guardians of the participants have a full understanding of the study content, participate voluntarily, and sign a written informed consent form.

Exclusion criteria

* Having other major neurological diseases (e.g., epilepsy, cerebral palsy), severe physical illnesses, or genetic syndromes. * Having severe auditory or visual impairments that prevent the completion of assessments with cooperation. * A history of anaphylaxis or adverse reactions to Xenon. * Currently participating in or having participated in other interventional clinical trials within the recent 3 months. * The investigator judges that there is any condition that may increase the risk to the participant or interfere with the conduct of the trial and the assessment of its results.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Core symptom outcomesFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 months.For the assessment of core symptom outcomes, the social responsiveness scale, Second Edition was used.Raw scores were converted to age- and sex-normed T-scores, with a minimum obtainable T-score of 30. A total T-score of 60 or higher indicates clinically significant symptom severity, whereas T-scores of 59 or below are considered within the normal range.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Core symptom outcomesFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 months.For the assessment of core symptom outcomes, the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2) was used.
Aberrant behavior outcomesFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 months.For the assessment of aberrant behavior outcomes, the Aberrant behavior Checklist (ABC) scale was used.
Treatment efficacyFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 months.For the assessment of treatment efficacy, the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist scale was used. The Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist total score ranges from a minimum of 0 (no autism symptoms) to a maximum of 179 (severe impairment), with lower scores indicating fewer symptoms and higher scores indicating greater severity.
SeverityFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 months.For the assessment of behavioral severity, the Clinical Impressions Severity of illness (CGI-S) was used.
ImprovementsFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 months.For the assessment of behavioral improvements after treatment, the Clinical Global Impressions scale for Improvement (CGI-I) scale was used.The Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement scale is a 7-point scale ranging from 1 ("Very much improved") to 7 ("Very much worse"), with a score of 4 indicating "No change."
Sleep problemsFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 months.For the assessment of sleep problems, the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnair (CSHQ) was used.
Brain functionsFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 months.For the assessment of brian functions, the MRI imaging was used.

Countries

China

Contacts

CONTACTJin piao Zhu, Associate fellow
zhujinpiao@zju.edu.cn0571-81732399

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 28, 2026