Psychiatric Comorbidities in Children With ASD: Autism Centre Experience

Population Sample ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Research Report ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with social communication deficits, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviours. In this lifelong condition the core features that cause impairment may also be expanded by behavioural and emotional problems. Individuals with ASD are likely to experience a higher prevalence of common mental disorders compared to the typically developed individuals. This high epidemiological burden of various psychiatric disorders among ASD population encourages further research and improvement in diagnostic practise in ASD and comorbid disorders. In this brief research report of a cross-sectional study, I aimed to estimate the psychiatric comorbidity prevalence and describe their general characteristics in children with ASD in the Autism Centre in Montenegro. The study population consisted of 152 patients who were diagnosed with ASD, 117 male and 35 female, and the mean age (SD) was 8.02 (4.26). In this brief research report prevalence of children with ASD with at least one psychiatric comorbidity was 36.84%. Only one psychiatric comorbidity disorder was reported in 17.16%, two in 9.87%, three in 8.55%, and in 0.66% patients four other psychiatric disorders. Psychiatric disorders present in this population sample were attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (17.76%), conduct disorder (13.10%), disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (9.87%), anxiety disorder and insomnia (7.89%), elimination disorder (3.29%), and depression (1.97%).

Psychiatric Disorders in Diabetic Patients in Rafsanjan

Psychological Disorders and Research ◽

10.31487/j.pdr.2021.01.02 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-4

Author(s):

Reza Bidaki ◽

Parvin Agha Mohamad Hasani ◽

Maryam Alireza Zade ◽

Rezvan Sadr Mohammadi ◽

Reza Bidaki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychiatric Disorders ◽

Common Mental Disorders ◽

Risk Groups ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Diabetic Patients ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Demographic Questionnaire ◽

Patients With Diabetes ◽

Diabetes Center

Objective: To determine prevalence rates, associated features, and risk factors for psychiatric disorders subsequent to the diagnosis of IDDM. Methods: In this cross-sectional study were been selected 100 randomly who referred to Rafsanjan Diabetes Center. The data of this study is gathered demographic questionnaire and Minnesota Multi-phasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). Data was analysed with software SPSS-17. Results: 76% of the patients were female and 24% were men 45.4% of the illiterate population. The results showed hypochondriasis (22%) and schizophrenia (19%) and depression (11%) are three psychiatric disorders that patients with diabetes in high-risk groups have reported. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that about 30-45% of patients with diabetes suffered from common mental disorders. The prevalence of some psychiatric disorders is considerable in diabetic patients in Rafsanjan.

The Diagnostic Value of Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio in Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders

INDONESIAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PATHOLOGY AND MEDICAL LABORATORY ◽

10.24293/ijcpml.v26i3.1597 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Nurmalia Purnama Sari ◽

Yudianita K. ◽

M. Rafli Haiqal ◽

M. Fadill Akbar

Keyword(s):

Predictive Value ◽

Developmental Disorders ◽

Diagnostic Value ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Neutrophil Lymphocyte Ratio ◽

Markers Of Inflammation ◽

Sensitivity Specificity

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder, progressive disruption of brain development and synaptic connections, which causes impaired communication and behavioral disorders. However, the etiology is unknown. A damaged perinatal environment causes chronic nerve inflammation in genetically susceptible children of ASD, dysregulation of the immune system, which leads to ASD. The ratio of Neutrophil to Lymphocyte (NLR) as one of the markers of inflammation is frequently associated with inflammation-related psychiatric diseases and is potentially used as a diagnostic instrument. A cross-sectional study was carried out from June to November 2019 by using medical records of Outpatients with growth and development disorders and ASD and involving 69 children. The diagnosis of ASD was confirmed by the fifth edition Diagnostic and Manual of Mental Disorders criteria (DSM-V). A routine hematology test was carried out with a flow cytometry method. Diagnostic tests were performed in 43 children with developmental disorders (mean NLR 1.01±0.07) and 26 ASD children (mean NLR 1.02±0.06), with a cut-off value of 0.68. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of NLR were 84.62%; 27.9%; 41.51%; 25%; and 50.2%, respectively. Neutrophil to lymphocyte is sensitive to diagnose ASD but its accuracy is low. Immune dysfunction and complex neurodevelopmental disorders that are affected by chronic inflammation play a role in the occurrence of ASD. Other inflammatory markers are needed to improve the accuracy of laboratory tests to diagnose ASD.

Integration of Brain and Behavior Measures for Identification of Data-Driven Groups Cutting Across Children with ASD, ADHD, or OCD

10.1101/2020.02.11.944744 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Grace R. Jacobs ◽

Aristotle N. Voineskos ◽

Colin Hawco ◽

Laura Stefanik ◽

Natalie J. Forde ◽

...

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Cortical Thickness ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Supervised Machine Learning ◽

Data Driven ◽

Behavioral Measures ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Compulsive Disorder ◽

AbstractAutism spectrum disorder (ASD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are clinically and biologically heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). The objective of the present study was to integrate brain imaging and behavioral measures to identify new brain-behavior subgroups cutting across these disorders. A subset of the data from the Province of Ontario Neurodevelopmental Disorder (POND) Network including participants with different NDDs (aged 6-16 years) that underwent cross-sectional T1-weighted and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning on the same 3T scanner, and behavioral/cognitive assessments was used. Similarity Network Fusion was applied to integrate cortical thickness, subcortical volume, white matter fractional anisotropy (FA), and behavioral measures in 176 children with ASD, ADHD or OCD with complete data that passed quality control. Normalized mutual information (NMI) was used to determine top contributing model features. Bootstrapping, out-of-model outcome measures and supervised machine learning were each used to examine stability and evaluate the new groups. Cortical thickness in socio-emotional and attention/executive networks and inattention symptoms comprised the top ten features driving participant similarity and differences between four transdiagnostic groups. Subcortical volumes (pallidum, nucleus accumbens, thalamus) were also different among groups, although white matter FA showed limited differences. Features driving participant similarity remained stable across resampling, and the new groups showed significantly different scores on everyday adaptive functioning. Our findings open the possibility of studying new data-driven groups that represent children with NDDs more similar to each other than others within their own diagnostic group. Such new groups can be evaluated longitudinally for prognostic utility and could be stratified for clinical trials targeted toward each group’s unique brain and behavioral profiles.

Growth hormone and ghrelin status in autistic children

QJM ◽

10.1093/qjmed/hcaa063.031 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 113 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

H M Abozaid ◽

E A A Algohary ◽

E A Zaky ◽

R A A Mahmoud

Keyword(s):

Growth Hormone ◽

Psychometric Evaluation ◽

Significant Negative Correlation ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Controlled Study ◽

Autistic Children ◽

Pubertal Stage ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Abstract Background Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with multifaceted etiology; with the hormonal imbalance playing an important role. Recent evidence suggests that plasma levels of Growth Hormone (GH) and ghrelin are altered in autistic children. Both hormones play a role in mucosal integrity which is crucial in immune tolerance. Ghrelin also modulates neuroinflammatory and apoptotic processes, thus both may have an impact on pathogenesis of autism. Aim To study the GH and ghrelin status in children with ASD and their relation to anthropometry and clinical phenotype. Patients and Methods This is a cross-sectional case-controlled study that included 45 children (30 males and 15 females) diagnosed with ASD compared to 30 age, sex and pubertal stage matched clinically normal controls. Psychometric evaluation including DSM 5, IQ, and CARS were done for the patients, while serum Acyl ghrelin, GH levels and anthropometric measurements were done for both the patients and controls. Results Compared to controls, patients had significantly higher weight and BMI (19.07 ± 4.56 kg versus 23.66 ± 11.44 kg, p 0.004) and (16.20 ± 0.89 kg/m2versus 17.94 ± 4.22 kg/m2, p 0.003) respectively. Ghrelin levels were significantly lower in our cases (7.04 ± 3.95 versus 1.90 ± 0.82, p 0.000) with significant positive correlation to the age. GH levels were also significantly lower in our cases (5.86 ± 2.21 versus 2.99 ± 1.51, p 0.000) with significant negative correlation to their CARS score. Conclusion Children with ASD have lower levels of ghrelin, GH compared to their normal counterparts. These findings support the hypothesis that hormones may modulate pathogenesis of autism, thus may play a key role in diagnosis and treatment response.

Activities of Daily Living, Playfulness and Sensory Processing in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Spanish Study

Children ◽

10.3390/children8020061 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 61

Author(s):

Nuria Yela-González ◽

Montserrat Santamaría-Vázquez ◽

Juan Hilario Ortiz-Huerta

Keyword(s):

Activities Of Daily Living ◽

Sensory Processing ◽

Daily Living ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Functional Skills ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Sensory Reactivity ◽

Children With Asd ◽

Spanish Study

The purposes of the study were to identify whether differences exist between Spanish children with ASD and neurotypical development in relation to Activities of Daily Living (ADL), playfulness, and sensory processing; as well as to confirm whether a relation exists between those areas and sensory processing. Study Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study. Methods: Forty children, 20 with a diagnosis of ASD and 20 with neurotypical development, were recruited. The measurement tools used were the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI), Test of Playfulness (ToP), and Sensory Processing Measure (SPM). Results: The sensory processing of children with ASD were related to decreased functional skills performance of ADL (F = 94.4, p = 0.00) and playfulness (p = 0.00) than neurotypical children; in addition, the problems of sensory reactivity were associated with worse development in these occupational areas (p = 0.00 for both Spearman correlations). Conclusions: Children with ASD present worse performance of functional skills and playfulness than neurotypical ones. Likewise, sensory reactivity is related to the development in the occupational areas.

Vitamin a deficiency and sleep disturbances related to autism symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder: a cross-sectional study

BMC Pediatrics ◽

10.1186/s12887-021-02775-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jing Wen ◽

Ting Yang ◽

Jiang Zhu ◽

Min Guo ◽

Xi Lai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitamin A ◽

Sleep Disturbances ◽

Vitamin A Deficiency ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Autism Symptoms ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Abstract Background Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) and sleep disturbances have been reported in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The influence of vitamin A (VA) levels on sleep regulation and sleep disturbances in ASD has garnered concern. The present study aimed to characterize the association of VA levels with sleep disturbances in children with ASD. Methods This cross-sectional study compared children with ASD (n = 856) to typically developing children (TDC; n = 316). We used the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire to assess sleep disturbances, Childhood Autism Rating Scale to evaluate the severity of autism symptoms, and Autism Behavior Checklist and Social Responsiveness Scale to assess autism behaviors. Serum VA levels were estimated using high-performance liquid chromatography. Multivariable linear regression and two-way analysis of variance were performed to investigate if VAD was related to sleep disturbances in children with ASD. Results Children with ASD had lower serum VA levels and a higher prevalence of sleep disturbances than TDC did. The incidence of VAD in ASD children with sleep disturbances was higher, and the symptoms more severe than those without sleep disturbances and TDC. Interestingly, the interaction between VAD and sleep disturbances was associated with the severity of autism symptoms. Conclusion VAD and sleep disturbances are associated with the core symptoms of ASD in children. Regular monitoring of sleep and VA levels may be beneficial for children with ASD. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, registration number: ChiCTR-ROC-14005442, registration date: December 9th 2014.

Clinical and cytogenetic profiles of children with autism in Kuantan Pahang

IIUM Medical Journal Malaysia ◽

10.31436/imjm.v15i1.1269 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Nora Mat Zin ◽

Naznin Muhammad

Keyword(s):

Small Sample Size ◽

Molecular Genetic ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Small Sample ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

History Of ◽

Cytogenetic Profile ◽

Numerical Chromosomal Abnormality

Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorder. The aetiology is not known in 75 to 80 percent of patients while in 20 to 25 percent a genetic cause is identified. There are very few studies on cytogenetic profile of ASD being carried out locally. This cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the clinical and cytogenetic profiles of paediatric ASD patients attending the Kuantan branch, National Autistic Society of Malaysia School. Methods: All paediatric patients (up to 18 years of age) attending the school in the year 2009/2010 were recruited. Clinical data was obtained by interviewing the guardians and assessment of the patients. Peripheral blood samples were collected for cytogenetic analysis. Results: Guardians of 14 out of 24 patients (58.3%) agreed for their children to be enrolled into the study. The age range was 5 to 12 years of age. The diagnostic subgroups were autistic disorder (13/14 patients) and Asperger syndrome (1/14). Approximately 80% had learning disability and history of allergy. Five patients had hyperactivity and none had history of seizures. There were family histories of developmental delay, mental retardation, epilepsy, psychiatric disorders and allergy. No structural or numerical chromosomal abnormality was detected. Conclusions: Although no cytogenetic abnormalities were identified, most probably due to the small sample size, it is crucial that genetic studies, including molecular genetic be explored as they would provide useful clinical insights and enhance understanding of the pathogenesis.

A Comparative Study of Corneal Topography in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study

Vision ◽

10.3390/vision5010004 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 4

Author(s):

Maha A. ALGarzaie ◽

Ali M. Alsaqr

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Corneal Topography ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Children With Asd ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Corneal Asphericity

Purpose: To investigate the corneal characteristics in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and age-matched typical development (TD) participants. Methods: This cross-sectional, clinically based study compared children with ASD to age-matched TD participants. Corneal topography was measured with a portable EyeSys Vista system. The distance visual acuity (VA) and the contrast sensitivity (CS) were determined. The refractive error (RE) was assessed using a 2WIN autorefractometer. Results: A total of 31 children with ASD (mean age: 12.78 ± 4.49 years), and 60 participants with TD (mean age: 13.65 ± 3.56 years) were recruited. The two groups were similar in age (t = −2.084, p = 0.075) and VA (t = −0.35, p = 0.32). Most of the children with ASD had a significant amount of refractive errors (REs; range: +5.25 to −5.50 DS), and astigmatism was dominant (range: −0.25 to −4.50 DC). There was no statistically significant difference between both groups in terms of average corneal power (t = 1.12, p = 0.39). The children with ASD and participants with TD also did not differ significantly in terms of corneal shape descriptors (p > 0.05), such as corneal asphericity, inferior superior index, opposite sector index, and differential sector index. The spherical equivalent did not differ significantly between the ASD participants and participants with TD (t = 1.15, p = 0.15). There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the astigmatism component between the ASD participants and the participants with TD.

Knowledge of Special Nutrition for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Parents and Special Educators in Malaysia

Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia ◽

10.17576/jskm-2021-1901-14 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (01) ◽

pp. 127-135

Author(s):

DURRATUL AIN SHOHAIMI ◽

SITI FARWIZAH IZZATI SAHIDAN ◽

MUHAMAD AFIQ ZULKIFLY ◽

NABILAH TAGOR HASIBUAN ◽

NOOR AKMAL SHAREELA ISMAIL ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽

Special Educators ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Child Growth ◽

Spectrum Disorder ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Children With Asd ◽

Level Of Knowledge

Background: Sufficient intake of macronutrients and micronutrients are essential for child growth. Many children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) however are reported to be picky eaters which may lead to malnourishment. As diet and behaviour are importantly interconnected, this study aims to determine the level of knowledge on nutrition among parents and special educators of children with ASD. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a National Autism Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from May to August 2018. A 37-item questionnaire was self-administered to the respondents who attended a series of training of trainers’ sessions. The data was collected and analysed descriptively. A total of 209 respondents participated with 153 parents and 56 special educators of children with ASD. Results: Only 37.9% of the parents agreed that their children’s diet contains balanced nutrition. Majority of the parents and special educators had the perception that sugar, junk food and gluten are bad for the children, but they were still given due to the accessibility and convenience. Conclusion: The low level of knowledge among parents and special educators about the nutrition of children with ASD indicates that a measure should be taken to increase awareness and to overcome the malnutrition among ASD children.

Vitamin A Deficiency and Sleep Disturbances Related to Autism Symptoms in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-49152/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jing Wen ◽

Ting Yang ◽

Jiang Zhu ◽

Min Guo ◽

Xi Lai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitamin A ◽

Sleep Disturbances ◽

Vitamin A Deficiency ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Autism Symptoms ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Abstract Background: Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) and sleep disturbances have been reported in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The influence of vitamin A (VA) on sleep regulation and sleep disturbances in ASD has garnered increased attention. This study aims to characterize the effect of VA levels and sleep disturbances on children with ASD.Methods: This cross-sectional study compared children with ASD (n=856) to typically developing children (TDC; n=316). The Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire assessed sleep disturbances, Childhood Autism Rating Scale evaluated the severity of autism symptoms, and Autism Behavior Checklist and Social Responsiveness Scale assessed autism behaviors. VA levels in blood samples were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. Multivariable linear regression and two-way ANOVAs were performed to investigate the effect of VAD and sleep disturbances in children with ASD.Results: Children with ASD had lower serum VA levels and a higher prevalence of sleep disturbances than TDC. VAD and sleep disturbances in children with ASD corresponded to the severity of autism symptoms. Importantly, VA levels were negatively correlated with sleep disturbances among children with ASD, and the interaction of VAD and sleep disturbances were related to the severity of autism symptoms.Conclusion: VAD and sleep disturbances exacerbated autism symptoms in children with ASD, providing a novel target for treatment.Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, registration number: ChiCTR-ROC-14005442