Cholesterol Levels In Children And Adolescents With Autistic Disorder

Autism, a neurodevelopmental disorder, is defined by core abnormalities in reciprocal social interaction and communication, and by the presence of restrictive or stereotyped interests and behaviors. Its etiology is almost unclear however a number of factors is being investigated including genetic, infectious, metabolic and environmental causes. Recent findings suggest the role of abnormal lipid metabolism in autism. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of cholesterol deficiency in a group of subjects with autistic dis¬order (AD). Study group included 88 children and adolescents with autistic disorder according to DSM-IV criteria. Children with any diagnosed genetic, metabolic, or neurological disorders were excluded from the study. The mean cholesterol level was 150.5 ± 28.7 (81.0 – 230.0) mg / dl. Sixteen subjects (18.2 %) had a cholesterol level lower than 100 mg/dl, which is below the 5th centile. Our findings confirmed the high prevalence of abnormally low cholesterol levels in autistic disorder and support clinical significance regarding the possible role of cholesterol deficit in the etiology. Further studies are needed to investigate the relation between cholesterol metabolism and autism.