Mortality and causes of death in autism spectrum disorders: An update
Abstract
This study compared mortality among Danish citizens with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) with that of the general population. A clinical cohort of 341 Danish individuals with variants of ASD, previously followed over the period 1960—93, now on average 43 years of age, were updated with respect to mortality and causes of death. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated for various times after diagnosis. In all, 26 persons with ASD had died, whereas the expected number of deaths was 13.5. Thus the mortality risk among those with ASD was nearly twice that of the general population. The SMR was particularly high in females. The excess mortality risk has remained unchanged since our first study in 1993. Eight of the 26 deaths were associated with epilepsy and four died from epilepsy. Future staff education should focus on better managing of the complex relationships between ASD and physical illness to prevent avoidable deaths.
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Individuals with ASD are at a heightened risk of long-term physical health conditions and premature mortality.
“Evidence suggests that individuals with ASD are at a heightened risk of long-term physical health conditions and premature mortality, [19][20][21] but the reasons for this remain unclear.”
From Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder and Severe Food Selectivity in Children and Young People with Autism: A Scoping Review (2022) · cites this paper as [21]
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- Authors
- Mouridsen, S. E., Brønnum-Hansen, H., Rich, B., & Isager, T.
- Affiliations
- Bispebjerg Hospital (DK)
- National Institute of Public Health, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Odense University Hospital (DK)
- Glostrup Hospital (DK)
- Corresponding author
- Mouridsen, Svend Erik
- Venue
- Autism
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2008-07
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 403-414
- ISSN
- 1362-3613 (ISSN-L)
- 1461-7005
- OpenAlex
- W2099958183
- Cited by
- 172
- References
- 24
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 4.49
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Autism (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- University of Southern Denmark Research Portal (University of Southern Denmark) (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Down syndrome and intellectual disability research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Keywords
- autism spectrum disorder, mortality, causes of death, standardized mortality ratio, excess mortality, epilepsy, sex differences, somatic comorbidity, long-term follow-up cohort
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Autistic Disorder, Cause of Death, Child, Preschool, Denmark, Female, Humans, Male, Sex Factors
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