Abstract
Vitamin D plays a role in central nervous system (CNS) development. Recent literature focused on vitamin D status in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but with inconsistent results. Our case-control study is aimed at evaluating serum 25-hydroxyl-vitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration in children with ASD (ASD group, n = 54) compared to children affected by other neurological and psychiatric disorders (non-ASD group, n = 36). All patients were admitted at the Complex Operative Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry, Polyclinic of Bari, Italy. 25(OH)D was quantified by chemiluminescence immunoassay and level defined as: deficiency (<20 ng/mL); insufficiency (20–30); normality (30-100); toxicity (>100). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS20 (significance < 0.05). The ASD group showed 25(OH)D a mean level significantly lower than control (p = 0.014). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed an association between ASD and vitamin D deficiency (p = 0.006). The nature of such association is unclear. Vitamin D deficiency may probably act as a risk factor for the development of ASD. Further studies are needed to unravel the role of vitamin D in ASD etiology and investigate its therapeutic potential.
Highlights
Vitamin D is a member of the family of steroid hormones mainly existing in two forms, ergocalciferol, which is photochemically synthesized by plants, and cholecalciferol, which is synthesized in the skin in the presence of ultraviolet rays B (UVB) resulting from sun exposure
Enzymes involved in Vitamin D metabolism in tissues other than bone suggests that calcitriol carries out many other functions, including the regulation of innate and adaptive immunity and plays a neurotrophic and antioxidant role in the central nervous system (CNS) [3]
Such result appears of interest if one takes into account that a remarkable prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is emerging in the general population worldwide [4]
Summary
Vitamin D is a member of the family of steroid hormones mainly existing in two forms, ergocalciferol (vitamin D2), which is photochemically synthesized by plants, and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3), which is synthesized in the skin in the presence of ultraviolet rays B (UVB) resulting from sun exposure. Epidemiological and case-control studies have often suggested a link between vitamin D deficiency and conditions such as type 1 and type 2 diabetes, connective tissue disorders, inflammatory bowel disorders, chronic hepatitis, food allergies, asthma and Disease Markers respiratory infections, and cancer [2]. Several observational studies have examined the association between vitamin D status and ASD in children and adolescents, achieving inconsistent results. Many case-control studies revealed that children with ASD have lower vitamin D concentrations than their healthy counterpart, suggesting that D-hypovitaminosis may be a risk factor for ASD (3, vb, vb), and vitamin D supplementation useful for treating its symptoms. We sought to produce further insight in this field by comparing serum levels of vitamin D between children with ASD and a control group of nonASD patients
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