Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) constitute a set of neurodevelopmental disorders that influence the behavior of the affected person and are characterized by difficulties in relating or communicating, among other aspects. A new study led by researchers at the University of Cambridge has now found that people with autism are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases. The findings have been published in the journal Molecular Autism.
Previous epidemiological studies have shown that autistic individuals have a higher risk of experiencing a wide variety of health problems and die much younger, and these people were thought to be more likely to suffer from certain disorders, such as gastrointestinal pain, sleep disturbances and epilepsy or seizures.
The new research has analyzed a greater variety of diseases and has proven that autistic people suffer from many more health problems than previously believed; Specifically, they are more likely to have conditions in any part of the body, including the brain (such as migraine), the digestive system (such as celiac disease), or the endocrine system (endometriosis), compared to the population without autism.
“This research adds to the body of evidence that the health care needs of autistic people are greater than those of non-autistic people.”
“This study emphasizes the greater health vulnerability of autistic people in both the types and number of conditions they may have. “We now need to understand the causes of these increased risks, which are likely to be multifactorial in nature,” said Dr Elizabeth Weir, research associate at the Cambridge Autism Research Center (ARC), who led the team.
This is the first study to show that autistic people are more likely than non-autistic people to experience “physical health multimorbidity,” meaning they have at least two or more physical health conditions – including fibromyalgia and ADHD. polycystic ovary – in different organ systems.
Higher rates of fibromyalgia and migraine in people with autism
To carry out the study, an anonymous self-report survey was used to compare the experiences of 1,129 autistic people with 1,176 non-autistic people aged 16 to 90 who came from a variety of countries, although 67% of the participants were from the United Kingdom. This survey assessed the risk of 60 physical health problems in nine different organ systems (gastrointestinal, endocrine, rheumatological, neurological, ocular, renal/hepatic, otolaryngological, hematological, and dermatological).
The researchers took into account other factors such as age, sex assigned at birth, country of residence, ethnicity, educational level, alcohol consumption, smoking, body mass index and family medical history. They found that autistic people were more likely to be diagnosed with medical conditions in all nine organ systems analyzed, compared to non-autistic people.
They also found that autistic people had higher rates of 33 specific conditions compared to their non-autistic peers, including celiac disease, gallbladder disease, endometriosis, syncope (fainting or passing out), vertigo, urinary incontinence, eczema, and anemia. due to iron deficiency.
Dr John Ward, visiting research scientist at the ARC in Cambridge, who carried out the analysis, said: “This research adds to the body of evidence that the healthcare needs of autistic people are greater than those of non-autistic people. autistic “More research is required, particularly around early identification and monitoring of chronic diseases.”
The findings also support previous findings showing that people with autism have higher rates of all central sensitivity syndromes – a diverse group of conditions related to dysregulation of the central nervous system – including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome, migraine, tinnitus, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and fibromyalgia.
Dr Carrie Allison, ARC Chief Strategy Officer and team member, added: “These findings highlight the urgent need to adapt the healthcare system to better meet the needs of autistic people. “These results need to be confirmed in larger population-based samples.”
“We are aware of the risks of mental health conditions in autistic people, but this new research also identifies their risks for physical health conditions. We urgently need to re-evaluate current healthcare systems to improve support for autistic people,” concludes Professor Sir Simon Baron-Cohen, director of the ARC and another member of the team.
