Vitamin D3 levels in children with autism spectrum disorders

Objective: In this study, it is aimed to define serum levels of vitamin D3, calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and folate in young children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), to compare them with those of normal controls and to explore the association between these serum values and the severity of problem behaviors, ASD symptom severity, and level of cognitive development.

Method: All participants (n=54) were assessed by a child and adolescent psychiatry specialist according to DSM-IV-TR criteria, and patients with the diagnosis of Autistic Disorder (AD) and Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) were included in the study. None of the patients fulfilled the criteria for Asperger Syndrome (AS). All of the participants were interviewed and sociodemographic form and the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (AbBC) were administered. The Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and developmentally appropriate screening or IQ tests were administered to ASD patients. Besides, Vitamin D3, Ca, P and ALP levels of all participants were calculated at biochemistry and endocrinology laboratories of our university hospital from March 2013 to September 2013. Chi-square test, t test and correlation analyses were used to evaluate the data.

Results: In 29.6% of the children with ASD and 38.9% of the normal children, Vitamin D3 deficiency was detected; however, the difference was not statistically significant between the groups. No statistically significant differences were detected between levels of Vitamin D3, Ca, P, ALP and folate in children with ASD compared to those of controls. The correlational analysis in children with ASD revealed that AbBC, ABC, CARS scores were not correlated with biochemical and endocrine laboratory results.

Discussion: The results of the study showed that Vitamin D3 , Ca, P, ALP and folate levels in 3 to 8-year-old children with ASD were not different from normal controls. The routine screening of Vitamin D3 levels in 3 to 8-year-old children with ASD does not seem to be feasible. In future studies, defining Vitamin D3 levels in cord blood or in the perinatal period and prospectively following up children may generate different results.