Bingbing Li1, Yiran Xu1, Xiaoli Zhang1, Lingling Zhang1, Yanan Wu1, Xiaoyang Wang1,2, Changlian Zhu1,3,4. 1. Henan Key Laboratory of Child Brain Injury, Third Affiliated Hospital and Institute of Neuroscience of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China. 2. Center of Perinatal Medicine and Health, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. 3. Center for Brain Repair and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. 4. Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Abstract
Objective: The effect of vitamin D supplementation on the risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is conflicting. The aim of this study was to estimate the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation on ASD in children. Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in which vitamin D supplementation was used as a therapy in children with ASD. The PubMed, PsychINFO, Cochrane CENTRAL library, Web of Science, and Cinahl databases were searched from inception to March 20, 2019, for all publications on vitamin D and ASD with no restrictions. Studies involving individuals aged <18 years diagnosed with ASD and with all functional outcomes assessed by measurement scales for ASD were included. Mean differences were pooled, and a meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model due to differences between the individual RCTs. Results: There were five RCTs with 349 children with ASD in the review, of which three RCTs were included in the meta-analysis. Vitamin D supplementation indicated a small but significant improvement in hyperactivity scores (pooled MD: -3.20; 95% CI: [-6.06, -0.34]) with low heterogeneity (I2 = 10%, p = 0.33), but there were no other statistically significant differences in ASD symptoms between groups as measured by validated scales. Conclusion: Vitamin D supplementation appears to be beneficial for hyperactivity but not for core symptoms or other co-existing behaviors and conditions of ASD. Future RCTs with large sample sizes examining the effect of vitamin D supplementation on ASD among individuals with low serum vitamin D levels at baseline are needed.
Objective: The effect of vitamin D supplementation on the risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is conflicting. The aim of this study was to estimate the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation on ASD in children. Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in which vitamin D supplementation was used as a therapy in children with ASD. The PubMed, PsychINFO, Cochrane CENTRAL library, Web of Science, and Cinahl databases were searched from inception to March 20, 2019, for all publications on vitamin D and ASD with no restrictions. Studies involving individuals aged <18 years diagnosed with ASD and with all functional outcomes assessed by measurement scales for ASD were included. Mean differences were pooled, and a meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model due to differences between the individual RCTs. Results: There were five RCTs with 349 children with ASD in the review, of which three RCTs were included in the meta-analysis. Vitamin D supplementation indicated a small but significant improvement in hyperactivity scores (pooled MD: -3.20; 95% CI: [-6.06, -0.34]) with low heterogeneity (I2 = 10%, p = 0.33), but there were no other statistically significant differences in ASD symptoms between groups as measured by validated scales. Conclusion: Vitamin D supplementation appears to be beneficial for hyperactivity but not for core symptoms or other co-existing behaviors and conditions of ASD. Future RCTs with large sample sizes examining the effect of vitamin D supplementation on ASD among individuals with low serum vitamin D levels at baseline are needed.