Oxidative stress in Egyptian children with autism: relation to autoimmunity.
We are the first to study the relationship between oxidative stress (by measuring plasma F2-isoprostane, as a marker of lipid peroxidation, and glutathione peroxidase, as an antioxidant enzyme) and autoimmunity (as indicated by serum antineuronal antibodies) in a group of 44 Egyptian autistic children and 44 healthy matched-children. Our results showed that oxidative stress was found in 88.64% of autistic children. Oxidative stress, resulting from elevated plasma F2-isoprostane and/or reduced glutathione peroxidase, had significant risk for antineuronal positivity, which was found in 54.5% of autistic children, (odds ratio: 12.38 and 6.43, respectively, confidence interval: 1.37-112.10 and 1.21-34.19, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
the strong association between oxidative stress and autoimmunity in autistic children may indicate the possible role of oxidative stress, through induction of autoimmunity, in some autistic patients. Therefore, studies considering the role of antioxidants and immunotherapy in amelioration of autistic manifestations are recommended.
Mostafa
Gehan A
GA
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. hafezg@softhome.net
El-Hadidi
Eman S
ES
Hewedi
Doaa H
DH
Abdou
Mohammed M
MM
D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D028441:F2-Isoprostanes / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D000906:Antibodies; D028441:F2-Isoprostanes; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D005978:Glutathione