title: Long-term outcome of a cohort of adults with autism and intellectual disability: A pilot prospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a long-life condition frequently associated with intellectual disability. To date, long-term outcome has been investigated mostly in ASD people with average or above-average intelligence and there is a paucity of data about autistic adults with comorbid intellectual disability.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study is to assess long-term variations of adaptive abilities in a sample of autistic adults with intellectual disability and severe language impairment.
  
  
  METHODS
  22 adults (17 males and 5 females) affected by autism and intellectual disability were recruited and evaluated after their admission in an Italian farm-community. Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS) were used as outcome measure for adaptive abilities. After ten years the measurement was repeated in order to study the evolution of patients' skills along time. Additionally, sociodemographic variables, changes in medication and comorbidities were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant improvement neither deterioration was found according to VABS raw scores in the entire sample. On the contrary, a significant improvement was evident in standard scores for the Adaptive Behavior Composite Scale and for each domain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In general, our patients remained stable in adaptive abilities. However, our results are not generalisable to the entire autistic population, but only to inpatients with autism and comorbid intellectual disability. New measures should be developed in order to better assess changes in this particular population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy. Electronic address: laura.fusarpoli@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fusar-Poli
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Natascia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brondino
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Orsi
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Provenzani
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Micheli
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ucelli di Nemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barale
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Politi
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D007558:Italy; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D000066553:Problem Behavior; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adaptive abilities; Adults; Autism; Intellectual disability; Long-term outcome; VABS