Date of Presentation
5-2-2024 12:00 AM
College
Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine
Poster Abstract
Background: In the United States, 2.7% of children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Environmental factors such as vitamin levels, including D, B9, and B12, may have a significant impact on the risk of development. Children conceived in winter months, with low sunlight and Vitamin D levels, have a higher risk of developing ASD. Vitamin B12 deficiency is generally linked with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders. Additionally, vitamin B9 deficiency of a mother during gestation is linked to a higher risk of her child developing ASD.
Purpose: To assess potential differences in vitamin levels between patients of differing severities of ASD.
Methods: An analysis of vitamin level data for 295 RISN patients with ASD was conducted. Patients on vitamin supplementation at the time labs were drawn were filtered out. For each vitamin, patients were categorized based on ASD severity level. Using R-Studio, a one-way ANOVA Kruskal-Wallis test between the groups was conducted to determine statistically significant differences.
Results: On analysis, there were no statistically significant differences (p-value = 0.4309) in Vitamin D levels for patients with different severities of ASD. There were no statistically significant differences (p-value = 0.8801) in Vitamin B9 levels between these patients. Additionally, there were no statistically significant differences (p-value = 0.9744) in Vitamin D levels for patients with these different severities of ASD. This indicates, across these three vitamin types, that vitamin concentrations tend to be consistent across patients with ASD.
Conclusions: It may be important to consider repeat studies of this premise, as the sample size, among other factors, may have an influence on the outcome. The lack of notable difference in vitamin level between severities may indicate that severity is unrelated to vitamin level, or that severity is influenced by vitamins in a concentration-independent way, such as processing and receptor sensitivity. Future research should focus on obtaining thorough vitamin labs for patients longitudinally. This will allow for paired analysis of different vitamin levels. It also encourages research into vitamin level changes in patients over time and how it may be related to behavioral changes.
Keywords
Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B9, Folate, Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Disciplines
Alternative and Complementary Medicine | Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities | Medicine and Health Sciences | Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases | Other Chemicals and Drugs | Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms
Document Type
Poster
Included in
Alternative and Complementary Medicine Commons, Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities Commons, Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Commons, Other Chemicals and Drugs Commons, Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Commons
Vitamin Level Differences Across the ASD Spectrum
Background: In the United States, 2.7% of children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Environmental factors such as vitamin levels, including D, B9, and B12, may have a significant impact on the risk of development. Children conceived in winter months, with low sunlight and Vitamin D levels, have a higher risk of developing ASD. Vitamin B12 deficiency is generally linked with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders. Additionally, vitamin B9 deficiency of a mother during gestation is linked to a higher risk of her child developing ASD.
Purpose: To assess potential differences in vitamin levels between patients of differing severities of ASD.
Methods: An analysis of vitamin level data for 295 RISN patients with ASD was conducted. Patients on vitamin supplementation at the time labs were drawn were filtered out. For each vitamin, patients were categorized based on ASD severity level. Using R-Studio, a one-way ANOVA Kruskal-Wallis test between the groups was conducted to determine statistically significant differences.
Results: On analysis, there were no statistically significant differences (p-value = 0.4309) in Vitamin D levels for patients with different severities of ASD. There were no statistically significant differences (p-value = 0.8801) in Vitamin B9 levels between these patients. Additionally, there were no statistically significant differences (p-value = 0.9744) in Vitamin D levels for patients with these different severities of ASD. This indicates, across these three vitamin types, that vitamin concentrations tend to be consistent across patients with ASD.
Conclusions: It may be important to consider repeat studies of this premise, as the sample size, among other factors, may have an influence on the outcome. The lack of notable difference in vitamin level between severities may indicate that severity is unrelated to vitamin level, or that severity is influenced by vitamins in a concentration-independent way, such as processing and receptor sensitivity. Future research should focus on obtaining thorough vitamin labs for patients longitudinally. This will allow for paired analysis of different vitamin levels. It also encourages research into vitamin level changes in patients over time and how it may be related to behavioral changes.