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Autoimmune diseases in parents of children with infantile autism: a case-control study
Svend Erik Mouridsen1, Bente Rich, Torben Isager
1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Bispebjerg University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. sem01@bbh.hosp.dk
Insights
This study found a potential link between parental autoimmune diseases and infantile autism (IA). Mothers with ulcerative colitis and fathers with type 1 diabetes had children diagnosed with IA.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Immunology
- Genetics
Background:
- Infantile autism (IA), a pervasive developmental disorder, has a complex etiology.
- Autoimmune diseases involve the immune system mistakenly attacking the body's own tissues.
- Genetic and environmental factors are implicated in the development of both IA and autoimmune conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between parental autoimmune diseases and the risk of infantile autism in offspring.
- To compare the prevalence of autoimmune conditions in parents of children with IA versus controls.
Main Methods:
- A Danish register-based cohort study.
- Compared autoimmune disease rates in parents of 111 IA patients with parents of 330 matched controls.
- Screened for 35 autoimmune diseases over a 27-year period.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in autoimmune disease prevalence was found in mothers (10.8% vs 9.1%).
- Fathers of IA patients showed a higher prevalence of autoimmune disease (8.6% vs 4.6%).
- Specific associations found: ulcerative colitis in mothers (p=0.05) and type 1 diabetes in fathers (p=0.02).
Conclusions:
- A potential association exists between specific parental autoimmune diseases and infantile autism.
- Ulcerative colitis in mothers and type 1 diabetes in fathers may be linked to IA in offspring.
- Further research is needed to confirm these associations and elucidate underlying mechanisms.
Abstract:
This register study compared the rates and types of autoimmune disease in the parents of 111 patients (82 males, 29 females; mean age at diagnosis 5y 5mo [SD 2y 6mo]) with infantile autism (IA) with a matched control group of parents of 330 children from the general population. All parents were screened through the nationwide Danish National Hospital Register. We inquired about 35 autoimmune diseases during an observation period of 27 years. At follow-up the case and control mothers were identical in age (65y 7mo [SDs 9y 7mo and 9y respectively]). For case and control fathers the figures were 70 years 2 months (SD 10y 2mo) and 69 years 1 month (SD 10y 1mo) respectively. A similar proportion of case and control mothers had a diagnosis of any autoimmune disease: 10.8% versus 9.1%. For case fathers the proportion was 8.6% versus 4.6%. Two autoimmune conditions were associated with IA: ulcerative colitis in mothers (p=0.05) and type 1 diabetes in fathers (p=0.02). Additional studies are required to determine whether there is a true association between a parental history of autoimmune disease and pervasive developmental disorder in their offspring.
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