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Measurement of Multiple Radical Scavenging Activity As a Diagnostic Method for Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children
Objectives: We investigated the availability of the measurements of multiple free radical scavenging activity (MULTIS) as a novel diagnostic tool for ASD children.
Methods: Serum samples from ASD children and neurotypical children (NT) were analyzed under informed consents. This study enrolled 23 children (3.9±0.8 y.o.) with ASD recruited at the Miyagi children's hospital (Sendai, Japan) and 34 age-matched NT recruited by advertisement. DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of autistic disorder was made for all subjects. Fasting human blood samples were collected by venipuncture in a sitting position with a tourniquet from all participants for both groups who are Japanese and drug-naïve. In MULTIS method, serum scavenging-activity profile against 5 reactive oxygen species, namely .OH, O2.-, RO., ROO. and 1O2 were measured using spin traps CYPMPO and TMPO (Oowada S et al., J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2012;51:117-21.).
Results: Scavenging activity against was significantly decreased in ASD group (approximately 55% of NT group mean value). Contrary to .OH, scavenging activities against O2.- and RO. were significantly increased in ASD group (approximately 120% and 157% of NT group mean values, respectively). No differences were observed in ROO. and 1O2 among the two groups. When diagnostic criteria for ASD was made using .OH, O2.- and RO. scavenging activities, the calculated sensitivity, specificity and positive likelihood ratio were 65%, 93% and 9.78, respectively. Moreover, when the data of ROO. and 1O2 were added, the positive likelihood ratio increased to 22.17.
Conclusions: Measurements of serum multiple free radical scavenging activity by MULTIS method could be a very powerful non-behavioral tool for diagnosis of ASD children.