ABSTRACT
A wide variety of genetic and non-genetic pathologies share serious psychiatric symptoms, which determine a poor quality of life for patients and their families. To evaluate whether bumetanide, a drug initially developed as a diuretic and currently analyzed for a new indication in patients with severe neuropsychiatric pathologies, could improve the disruptive and self-injurious behaviors secondary to Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) and characteristic of the autistic spectrum the case of this 6-year-old patient is considered. Following preclinical and clinical evidence of the efficacy of bumetanide in Tuberous Sclerosis and other neurodevelopmental disorders, the drug may alleviate the psychiatric manifestations (TAND) of Tuberous Sclerosis pathology. This would allow avoiding the excessive prescription of antipsychotic drugs indicated to control disruptive behaviors. Methodology: The Administración Nacional de Medicamentos, Alimentos y Tecnología Médica (ANMAT) approval was requested for compassionate use since it is not an approved drug in Argentina for this indication. The patient was evaluated with laboratory tests at T0, T1, T2, T3 and T4, corresponding to the basal moments, of 7 days, 30 days, 60 days and 90 days after starting the medication. Likewise, behavior was evaluated with the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) at the same times described. CARS was used for autistic characteristics and TAND Checklist for psychiatric disorders, both at the beginning. Bumetanide was administered at 1 mg/day and increased to 1.5 mg/day one month after the first dose. Results: We observed, in this case, the primary endpoint, irritability, showed moderate improvement. On the contrary, hyperactivity, attention, sociability and better connection through gaze experienced and evident improvement. Regarding isolation scales and stereotyped behaviors, an important improvement was found after 3 months of treatment with bumetanide, an antagonist NKCC1, evaluated through the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC). On the other hand, no remarkable adverse effects were observed.