Autism: Will vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy and early childhood reduce the recurrence rate of autism in newborn siblings?

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• 作者：G. Stubbs ; ^{stubbsgene@comcast.net" class="auth_mail" title="E-mail the corresponding author} ; K. Henley ; J. Green
• 关键词：AMPK/mTOR ; Adenosine MonoPhosphate Kinase/mammalian Target of Rapamycin signaling pathway ; ADHD ; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ; ASD ; autism spectrum disorder ; IRB ; Institutional Review Board ; LC&ndash ; MS/MS ; liquid chromatography mass spectrography mass spectrography ; MCHAT ; Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers ; PAML ; Pathology Associates Medical Laboratories ; PDDBI ; PDD  ; =  ; Pervasive Developmental Disorders. BI  ; =  ; Behavioral Inventory ; ROS ; reactive oxygen speci
• 刊名：Medical Hypotheses
• 出版年：2016
• 出版时间：March 2016
• 年：2016
• 卷：88
• 期：Complete
• 页码：74-78
• 全文大小：271 K

文摘

Vitamin D deficiency is widespread in the world including the vulnerable group of pregnant women. Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is hypothesized to contribute to the cause of autism. Further, it is hypothesized that vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy and early childhood will reduce the recurrence rate of autism in newborn siblings.

Methods

To investigate the hypothesis an open label prospective study was performed prescribing vitamin D during pregnancy to mothers of children with autism at a dose of 5000 IU/day. The newborn siblings were at high risk for the recurrence of autism. The newborn infants were also prescribed vitamin D, 1000 IU/day to their third birthday. The newborn siblings were followed for three years and during that time, were assessed for autism on two separate occasions: at 18 months and 36 months of age. The results were compared to the reported recurrence rates in siblings of autistic children in the literature.

Results

The final outcome was 1 out of 19 (5%) developed autism in contrast to the recurrence rate of approximately 20% in the literature. We did not have a control group, nor was there blinding.

Conclusions

The results are promising, however, this is a preliminary study with very small numbers and was uncontrolled. Further study with larger numbers is indicated. The ethics of prescribing a low dosage of vitamin D such as 400 IU D3/day to a control group of mothers in comparison to a large dose such as 5000 IU D3/day are problematic in our opinion.