title: Bone Density in Adolescents and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
abstract: Patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at increased risk for fracture, and peri-pubertal boys with ASD have lower bone mineral density (BMD) than controls. Data are lacking regarding BMD in older adolescents with ASD. We compared BMD using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 9 adolescents/young adults with ASD against 9 typically developing matched controls. Patients with ASD and controls were excluded if they had other underlying conditions that may affect bone. Compared to controls, patients with ASD had (i) lower femoral neck and hip BMD Z-scores, and (ii) lower spine, femoral neck and hip height adjusted BMD Z-scores even after controlling for BMI. Understanding the underlying pathophysiology will be key to developing therapies to improve BMD and reduce fracture risk.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Endocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Yawkey 6c, Boston, MA, 02114, USA. lekhlaspour@mgh.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Laya
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3263-1419
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ekhlaspour
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Endocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Yawkey 6c, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Charumathi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baskaran
authors.affiliation: Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, 101 Merrimac St, 6th Floor, Office 615, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Karen Joanie
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Campoverde
authors.affiliation: Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, 101 Merrimac St, 6th Floor, Office 615, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Natalia Cano
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Sokoloff
authors.affiliation: Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, One Maguire Road, Lexington, MA, 02421, USA.
authors.forename: Ann M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Neumeyer
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Endocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Yawkey 6c, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Madhusmita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Misra
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005598:Fractures, Spontaneous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescent; Autism spectrum disorder; Body mass index; Bone mineral density; Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry