Boli Cheng1,2,3,4, Jiang Zhu1,2,3,4, Ting Yang1,2,3,4, Min Guo1,2,3,4, Xi Lai1,2,3,4, Qiu Li1,2,3,4, Jie Chen1,2,3,4, Tingyu Li5,6,7,8. 1. Children's Nutrition Research Center, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Nutrition and Health, Chongqing, China. 2. National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorder, Chongqing, China. 3. Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China. 4. China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing, China. 5. Children's Nutrition Research Center, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Nutrition and Health, Chongqing, China. tyli@vip.sina.com. 6. National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorder, Chongqing, China. tyli@vip.sina.com. 7. Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing, China. tyli@vip.sina.com. 8. China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Chongqing, China. tyli@vip.sina.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, and many individuals with ASD have gastrointestinal (GI) comorbidities. Vitamin A (VA) is an essential micronutrient that plays an important role in brain development and GI function. METHODS: A total of 323 children with ASD and 180 control children were enrolled in this study. Symptoms of ASD were assessed with the Child Autism Rating Scale (CARS), the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), and the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC). Caregivers of the children completed questionnaires about GI symptoms. Serum retinol levels were detected with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS: Children with ASD and with GI comorbidity and constipation had considerably lower serum VA levels than autistic children without these symptoms. VA level was associated with CARS, SRS, and ABC scores, whereas GI symptoms were associated some SRS and ABC scores. The interaction of VAD and GI symptoms appeared to aggravate some of the core symptoms of children with ASD. CONCLUSIONS: VAD exacerbates core symptoms in children with ASD, and ASD children with GI comorbidities also have more serious core symptoms than ASD children without GI comorbidities. VAD comorbid with GI symptoms aggravates autistic children's core symptoms. IMPACT: VAD exacerbates core symptoms in children with ASD. ASD children with GI comorbidities have more serious core symptoms than ASD children without GI comorbidities. VAD comorbid with GI symptoms aggravates autistic children's core symptoms. We speculate that VAD might be related to a subtype of ASD that involves GI comorbidities. We believe that our findings will be of fundamental importance to the scientific community.
BACKGROUND:Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, and many individuals with ASD have gastrointestinal (GI) comorbidities. Vitamin A (VA) is an essential micronutrient that plays an important role in brain development and GI function. METHODS: A total of 323 children with ASD and 180 control children were enrolled in this study. Symptoms of ASD were assessed with the ChildAutism Rating Scale (CARS), the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), and the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC). Caregivers of the children completed questionnaires about GI symptoms. Serum retinol levels were detected with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS:Children with ASD and with GI comorbidity and constipation had considerably lower serum VA levels than autisticchildren without these symptoms. VA level was associated with CARS, SRS, and ABC scores, whereas GI symptoms were associated some SRS and ABC scores. The interaction of VAD and GI symptoms appeared to aggravate some of the core symptoms of children with ASD. CONCLUSIONS:VAD exacerbates core symptoms in children with ASD, and ASDchildren with GI comorbidities also have more serious core symptoms than ASDchildren without GI comorbidities. VAD comorbid with GI symptoms aggravates autisticchildren's core symptoms. IMPACT: VAD exacerbates core symptoms in children with ASD. ASDchildren with GI comorbidities have more serious core symptoms than ASDchildren without GI comorbidities. VAD comorbid with GI symptoms aggravates autisticchildren's core symptoms. We speculate that VAD might be related to a subtype of ASD that involves GI comorbidities. We believe that our findings will be of fundamental importance to the scientific community.