Vitamin D Deficiency in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract EN

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.