Frequency of Autoimmunity in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders and Their Parents: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurobiological condition shaped by genetic, epigenetic, and environmental elements impacting the growing brain and marked by impaired social and emotional interaction, difficulties in learning, anxiety, epilepsy, language impairments, restrictive actions, and the existence of limited interests and repetitive actions. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the frequency of autoimmunity in children with ASDs and their parents in Gorgan in ۲۰۲۱. Methods: The study with a cross-sectional design was carried out in Gorgan City, located in the northeast of Iran. Subjects included autistic patients covered by the Welfare Organization of Golestan Province. All children underwent an anti-nuclear antibody test, C-reactive protein (CRP), and complete blood count. Parents of children with seropositive antibodies were tested for antinuclear antibodies, CRP, and complete blood count. Data were analyzed using analytical-descriptive statistics. Results: A total of ۴۳ boys (۷۶.۸%) and ۱۳ girls (۲۳.۲%) with ASD were included in the study. The mean age of children was ۱۰.۰۴±۳.۹۹ years, with a range of ۱-۱۸ years. Based on the findings of the anti-nuclear antibody test, patients were divided into two groups: Those with autoimmune disease (۱۳ patients; ۲۳.۲۱%) and those without autoimmunity (۴۳ patients; ۷۶.۷۹%). CRP was positive in ۵۳.۸% of the autoimmune patients and ۱۸.۶% of the non-autoimmune patients (P=۰.۰۱۳).  Conclusions: There is an association between ASD and autoimmune disease. However, more research is needed with a larger population of patients to determine if these antibodies play a role in inducing autoimmunity in a subset of autistic children.

کلیدواژه ها:

Autoimmunity ، Autism ، Leukopenia ، Neutropenia