Reduced bone cortical thickness in boys with autism or autism spectrum disorder.
Bone development, casein-free diet use, supplements, and medications were assessed for 75 boys with autism or autism spectrum disorder, ages 4-8 years. Second metacarpal bone cortical thickness (BCT), measured on hand-wrist radiographs, and % deviations in BCT from reference medians were derived. BCT increased with age, but % deviations evidenced a progressive fall-off (p = .02): +3.1 +/- 4.7%, -6.5 +/- 4.0%, -16.6 +/- 3.4%, -19.4 +/- 3.7%,-24.1 +/- 4.4%, at ages 4-8, respectively, adjusting for height. The 12% of the boys on casein-free diets had an overall % deviation of -18.9 +/- 3.7%, nearly twice that of boys on minimally restricted or unrestricted diets (-10.5 +/- 1.3%, p < .04), although even for boys on minimally restricted or unrestricted diets the % deviation was highly significant (p < .001). Our data suggest that the bone development of autistic boys should be monitored as part of routine care, especially if they are on casein-free diets.
Hediger
Mary L
ML
Division-of Epidemiology, Statistics and Prevention Research, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD 20892-7510, USA. hedigerm@exchange.nih.gov
England
Lucinda J
LJ
Molloy
Cynthia A
CA
Yu
Kai F
KF
Manning-Courtney
Patricia
P
Mills
James L
JL
D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050279:Metacarpal Bones / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011859:Radiography