title: Urinary p-cresol is elevated in young French children with autism spectrum disorder: a replication study.
abstract: The aromatic compound p-cresol (4-methylphenol) has been found elevated in the urines of Italian autistic children up to 8 years of age. The present study aims at replicating these initial findings in an ethnically distinct sample and at extending them by measuring also the three components of urinary p-cresol, namely p-cresylsulfate, p-cresylglucuronate and free p-cresol. Total urinary p-cresol, p-cresylsulfate and p-cresylglucuronate were significantly elevated in 33 French autism spectrum disorder (ASD) cases compared with 33 sex- and age-matched controls (p < 0.05). This increase was limited to ASD children aged ≤8 years (p < 0.01), and not older (p = 0.17). Urinary levels of p-cresol and p-cresylsulfate were associated with stereotypic, compulsive/repetitive behaviors (p < 0.05), although not with overall autism severity. These results confirm the elevation of urinary p-cresol in a sizable set of small autistic children and spur interest into biomarker roles for p-cresol and p-cresylsulfate in autism.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Child and Adolescent NeuroPsychiatry and.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gabriele
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sacco
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cerullo
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Urbani
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tripi
authors.forename: Joëlle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Malvy
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barthelemy
authors.forename: Frédérique
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonnet-Brihault
authors.forename: Antonio M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Persico
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000652:urine*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003408:Cresols / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D005965:Glucuronates / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013463:Sulfuric Acid Esters / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D003408:Cresols; D005965:Glucuronates; D013463:Sulfuric Acid Esters; C032538:4-cresol; C408690:4-cresol sulfate
keywords: Gut flora; neurotoxicity; organic contaminants; p-cresylsulfate; pervasive developmental disorders