Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in mothers of Swedish and of Somali origin who have children with and without autism.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in mothers of Somali origin and those of Swedish origin who have children with and without autism as there is a growing evidence that low vitamin D impacts adversely on brain development.


METHODS
Four groups of mothers were invited to participate; 20 with Somali origin with at least one child with autism, 20 with Somali origin without a child with autism, 20 of Swedish origin with at least one child with autism and 20 with Swedish origin without a child with autism. Two blood samples were collected from each individual; during autumn and spring.


RESULTS
Between 12 and 17 mothers from the different groups accepted to participate, both groups of mothers of Somali origin had significantly lower values of 25-hydroxyvitamin D compared with Swedish mothers. The difference of 25-hydroxyvitamin D between mothers of Somali origin with and without a child with autism was not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings of low vitamin D levels in Somali women entail considerable consequences in a public health perspective. The observed tendency, i.e. the lowest values in mothers of Somali origin with a child with autism was in the predicted direction, supporting the need for further research of vitamin D levels in larger samples of Somali mothers of children with and without autism.
Fernell
Elisabeth
E
.Autism Centre for Young Children, Handicap and Habilitation, Stockholm, Sweden.Unit of Developmental Disorders, Department of Paediatrics, and FoU centre, Skaraborg Hospital, Sweden.PRIMA Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm, Sweden.Department of Paediatrics, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute, and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.Department of Endocrinology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Barnevik-Olsson
Martina
M
.Autism Centre for Young Children, Handicap and Habilitation, Stockholm, Sweden.Unit of Developmental Disorders, Department of Paediatrics, and FoU centre, Skaraborg Hospital, Sweden.PRIMA Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm, Sweden.Department of Paediatrics, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute, and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.Department of Endocrinology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Bågenholm
Gunnel
G
.Autism Centre for Young Children, Handicap and Habilitation, Stockholm, Sweden.Unit of Developmental Disorders, Department of Paediatrics, and FoU centre, Skaraborg Hospital, Sweden.PRIMA Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm, Sweden.Department of Paediatrics, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute, and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.Department of Endocrinology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Gillberg
Christopher
C
.Autism Centre for Young Children, Handicap and Habilitation, Stockholm, Sweden.Unit of Developmental Disorders, Department of Paediatrics, and FoU centre, Skaraborg Hospital, Sweden.PRIMA Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm, Sweden.Department of Paediatrics, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute, and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.Department of Endocrinology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Gustafsson
Sven
S
.Autism Centre for Young Children, Handicap and Habilitation, Stockholm, Sweden.Unit of Developmental Disorders, Department of Paediatrics, and FoU centre, Skaraborg Hospital, Sweden.PRIMA Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm, Sweden.Department of Paediatrics, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute, and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.Department of Endocrinology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Sääf
Maria
M
.Autism Centre for Young Children, Handicap and Habilitation, Stockholm, Sweden.Unit of Developmental Disorders, Department of Paediatrics, and FoU centre, Skaraborg Hospital, Sweden.PRIMA Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm, Sweden.Department of Paediatrics, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institute, and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.Department of Endocrinology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
D000328:Adult; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons; D012998:Somalia / Q000208:ethnology; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology*
D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D