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ASDs not linked to celiac disease, intestinal inflammation

Researchers in Sweden report that autism spectrum disorders are not associated with celiac disease or inflammation. However, there was an association between the presence of normal mucosa but positive results on the celiac disease serologic test and the disorders.

Patients with ASDs were identified using Swedish patient registers, and data for those with celiac disease (n=26,995), inflammation of the small intestine (n=12,304) and normal mucosa but a positive celiac disease serologic test (n=3,719) were collected from 28 Swedish biopsy registers. Patients were compared with 213,208 controls.

ASD diagnosis prior to biopsy was not associated with celiac disease (OR=0.93; 95% CI, 0.51-1.68) or inflammation (OR=1.03; 95% CI, 0.40-2.64), but was linked to a distinctly higher risk for having normal mucosa and a positive celiac disease serologic test (OR=4.57; 95% CI, 1.58-13.22).

When researchers looked solely at patients without an ASD diagnosis at biopsy, both celiac disease and inflammation signaled modest excess risk for later ASDs, according to the study (HR=1.39; 95% CI, 1.13-1.71 for celiac disease and HR=2.01; 95% CI, 1.29-3.13 for inflammation). The risk for later ASDs was higher in patients with normal mucosa and positive celiac disease serologic test (HR=3.09; 95% CI, 1.99-4.80).

The mechanism responsible for the association between ASDs and positive celiac disease serologic test results is unclear, according to the researchers. They hypothesize, however, that it may be explained by an increase in mucosal permeability in some patients with early celiac disease or in those with higher levels of nonspecific antigliadin antibodies.

Disclosure: See the study for a full list of all researchers’ relevant financial disclosures.