The complementary role of high sensitivity C-reactive protein in the diagnosis and severity assessment of autism

• Published in: Research in autism spectrum disorders Vol. 6; no. 3; pp. 1032 - 1037
• Main Authors: Khakzad, Mohammad Reza, Javanbakht, Maryam, Shayegan, Mohammad Reza, Kianoush, Sina, Omid, Fatemeh, Hojati, Maryam, Meshkat, Mojtaba
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-07-2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Autism; Autistic disorder; C-reactive protein; Childhood Autism Rating Scale; Comparative Analysis; Control Groups; Correlation; Diagnostic Tests; Evaluation; Inflammation; Patients; Rating Scales; Severity; Severity (of Disability); Inflammation; Severity; Autistic disorder; C-reactive protein
• ISSN: 1750-9467; 1878-0237
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rasd.2011.10.002

► Inflammatory process can play key role in the pathophysiology of autism. ► Higher levels of hs-CRP are detected in autistic children. ► A correlation exists between hs-CRP level and autism severity. ► Hs-CRP can be considered a complementary diagnostic test for autism.
C-reactive protein (CRP) is a beneficial diagnostic test for the evaluation of inflammatory response. Extremely low levels of CRP can be detected using high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) test. A considerable body of evidence has demonstrated that inflammatory response has an important role in the pathophysiology of autism. In this study, we evaluated and compared hs-CRP levels between autistic and intellectually normal individuals. Clinical data of 39 autistic and 30 age-matched intellectually normal individuals (control group) were recorded. Patients were divided into two groups (mild-to-moderate and severe) according to childhood autism rating scale. Then serum hs-CRP concentrations were measured and compared between two groups. Also, the correlation between hs-CRP concentration and the severity of autism was determined. The mean concentration of hs-CRP in children with autism (540.1±1125.5ng/ml) was significantly (P<0.0001) higher than control group (1.3±1.0ng/ml). In severe autism, the mean level of hs-CRP (985.1±1432.1ng/ml) was significantly (P=0.008) higher than the mean level of hs-CRP in patients with mild-to-moderate autism (147.1±60.4ng/ml). There was a positive correlation between hs-CRP concentration and autism severity (r=0.34; P=0.039). These findings affirm the role of inflammation in autism.