Reduced serum levels of 25-hydroxy and 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D in egyptian children with autism
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of vitamin D in autism through serum level assessment. DESIGN: This was a case-controlled cross-sectional study. SETTING: The study was conducted at the Out-patient Clinic for "Children with Special Needs" at the Medical Services Unit of the National Research Centre in Cairo, Egypt. SUBJECTS: Seventy (70) children with autism diagnosed according to the DSM-IV criteria of the American Psychiatric Association were recruited for this study. The mean age +/- standard deviation (SD) of the patients was 5.3 +/- 2.8 years. Controls included 42 age-matched randomly selected healthy children of the same socioeconomic status (mean age +/- SD, 6.1 +/- 1.8 years). METHODS: Circulating levels of both forms of vitamin D (25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)(2)D) and serum calcium were measured for all subjects. Associations between vitamin D status, birth season, and clinical characteristics of autism were examined. RESULTS: Children with autism had significantly lower 25(OH)D (p < 0.00001) and 1,25(OH)(2)D (p < 0.005) as well as lower calcium (p < 0.0001) serum values than the controls. A significant positive correlation was obtained between 25(OH)D and calcium (correlation coefficient r = 0.309, p < 0.01) within the children with autism. No significant difference was found on comparison of birth month and season of birth between children with autism and healthy controls. Furthermore, associations linking parental consanguinity or convulsions with vitamin D could not be established. CONCLUSIONS: Serum values of 25(OH)D in the children with autism of this study could classify them as being "vitamin D inadequate," which lends support to the hypothesis that autism is a vitamin D deficiency disorder.
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Not all studies showed an association between season of birth and risk of autism.
“Not all studies showed an association between season of birth and risk of autism [64,77,79,81,83,84,85,86].”
From Vitamin D and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review (2016) · cites this paper as [81]
Of 14 studies, nine reported significant differences in 25(OH)D concentrations between cases and controls, one borderline difference, and four found no significant differences among study groups.
“Of 14 studies, nine reported significant differences in 25(OH)D concentrations between cases and controls [78,81,108,109,110,111,112,117,118], one borderline difference [114], and four found no significant differences among study groups [79,113,115,116].”
From Vitamin D and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review (2016) · cites this paper as [81]
Meguid et al. (2010) and Saad et al. (2015) thoroughly examined all children, including cases and controls, for medical conditions and mental disorders, and reported that two groups of Egyptian children with ASD had significantly lower levels of 25(OH)D compared to age, sex and socio-economic status matched healthy controls.
“Meguid et al. (2010) [81] and Saad et al. (2015) [111] also thoroughly examined all children, including both cases and controls, for medical conditions and mental disorders, and reported that two groups of Egyptian children with ASD had significantly lower levels of 25(OH)D compared to age, sex and socio-economic status matched healthy controls.”
From Vitamin D and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review (2016) · cites this paper as [81]
In the Meguid and Saad studies, season of birth was taken into account but no significant differences were found in either group.
“The season of birth was taken into account in both studies but no significant differences were found in either group.”
From Vitamin D and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review (2016) · cites this paper as [81]
Mean 1,25(OH)2D and calcium concentrations were also lower in children with ASD than healthy controls.
“Mean 1,25(OH)2D and calcium concentrations was also lower in children with ASD than healthy controls [81]”
From Vitamin D and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review (2016) · cites this paper as [81]
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- Authors
- Meguid, N. A., Hashish, A. F., Anwar, M., & Sidhom, G.
- Affiliations
- National Research Centre (EG)
- Corresponding author
- Sidhom, Gloria
- Venue
- The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2010-06
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 641-645
- ISSN
- 1075-5535 (ISSN-L)
- 1557-7708
- OpenAlex
- W2150032379
- Cited by
- 154
- References
- 44
- Citations by year
- 2025: 5 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 5.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Research Centre
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Vitamin D Research Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
- Keywords
- autism spectrum disorder, vitamin D deficiency, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, serum calcium, vitamin D status, season of birth, children, Egyptian children
- MeSH terms
- Autistic Disorder, Calcitriol, Calcium, Child, Child, Preschool, Cross-Sectional Studies, Egypt, Humans, Vitamin D, Vitamin D Deficiency, Case-Control Studies, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
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