Inventario del espectro autista y childhood autism rating scale: correspondencia con criterios DSM-IV-TR en pacientes con trastornos generalizados del desarrollo

Abstract

IntroductionObservational scales are useful to estimate the severity of symptoms in PDD as well as to monitor their evolution. Objectivesa) To analyze the concordance between diagnoses based on the Autism Spectrum Inventory (Inventario del Espectro Autista, IDEA)) and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), compared to DSM-IV-TR criteria, in subjects with a suspicion of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), and b) to study the discrimination power of both scales to differentiate between a clinical diagnosis situated in the autism spectrum. Patients and methodsFifty-six children and adolescents, between 2 and 20 years-old, who attended our Neuropediatric Unit due to suspicion of PDD. Independently, two clinicians evaluated the presence of PDD symptoms; one of them according to DSM-IV-TR criteria and the other one based on the application of IDEA and CARS. ResultsThe concordance of IDEA and CARS when compared to DSM-IV-TR classification was 73 and 82%, respectively, with a sensitivity of 1 and 0,83 and a specificity of 0,61 and 0,82, respectively. Both scales correctly discriminated between autistic disorder and other clinical diagnoses. ConclusionsBoth IDEA and CARS are useful instruments to detect and monitor autism symptoms in the context of routine clinical practice.