Autism linked to heart disease and diabetes

• Index hide

  1 According to the WHO, It is estimated that, worldwide, one in 100 children has autism.

  2 According to Statista, the number of children with autism spectrum disorder in the United States stood at 80 cases per 10,000 children in 2022.

  3 According to the WHO, the features can be detected in early childhood, but autism is often not diagnosed until much later.

  3.1 How was the study prepared?

  3.2 Study Findings

  3.3 What are the causes of autism spectrum disorder?

  According to the WHO, It is estimated that, worldwide, one in 100 children has autism.

• According to Statista, the number of children with autism spectrum disorder in the United States stood at 80 cases per 10,000 children in 2022.

• According to the WHO, the features can be detected in early childhood, but autism is often not diagnosed until much later.

People with autism spectrum disorder or autism are at increased risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, according to a study published on the JAMA Pediatrics site.

How was the study prepared?

To investigate this further, researchers at the Texas Tech University Health Science Center examined the association between ASD and cardiometabolic diseases. According to the authors, their research is the first comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis to explore these potential risks associated with autism.The researchers used 34 studies that included 276,173 participants with autism and 7,733,306 individuals without the condition.

Study Findings

After examining the data, the scientists found that people with autism had a 64.1% higher risk of developing type 1 diabetes and a 146.7% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than people without autism, and people with autism had 45.9% higher risk of developing heart disease compared to autistic people.

Notably, autistic people also had a 69.4% higher risk of imbalanced cholesterol levels than people without autism spectrum disorder. Specifically, autistic individuals have statistically and clinically significant low levels of HDL (bad cholesterol) and high triglycerides compared to those without autism. Experts believe that high triglycerides with low HDL are associated with an increased risk of heart disease.

However, the researchers did not find a significantly increased risk of high blood pressure or stroke in autistic individuals. Still, the team found that the chances of developing diabetes in general and heart conditions such as high blood pressure were higher among children with autism.

The study authors suggest that because people with autism appear to be associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease, health care providers should monitor people with ASD for early signs of cardiometabolic disease and its complications. .

What are the causes of autism spectrum disorder?

According to the Mayo Clinic, autism spectrum disorders do not have a single known cause. Considering the complexity of the disorder and the fact that symptoms and severity vary, there are probably many causes. Genetics and environment can play a role.

• Genetics. Several different genes appear to be linked to autism spectrum disorders. For some children, autism spectrum disorders may be associated with a genetic disorder, such as Rett syndrome or fragile X syndrome. For others, genetic changes (mutations) may increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder. Furthermore, other genes may affect brain development or the way neurons in the brain communicate, or may determine the severity of symptoms. Some gene mutations appear to run in families, while others occur spontaneously.
• Environmental factors. Researchers are currently studying whether factors such as viral infections, medications, complications during pregnancy, or air pollutants play a role in triggering autism spectrum disorder.

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