Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2010 Nov;21(6):805-8.
doi: 10.1097/EDE.0b013e3181f26e3f.

Parental autoimmune diseases associated with autism spectrum disorders in offspring

Alexander Keil  1 , Julie L Daniels, Ulla Forssen, Christina Hultman, Sven Cnattingius, Karin C Söderberg, Maria Feychting, Par Sparen
Affiliations

Parental autoimmune diseases associated with autism spectrum disorders in offspring

Alexander Keil et al. Epidemiology. 2010 Nov.

Abstract

Background: Autism spectrum disorders are often idiopathic. Studies have suggested associations between immune response and these disorders. We explored associations between parental autoimmune disorders and children's diagnosis of autism by linking Swedish registries.

Methods: Data for each participant were linked across 3 Swedish registries. The study includes 1227 cases and 25 matched controls for each case (30,693 controls with parental linkage). Parental diagnoses comprised 19 autoimmune disorders. We estimated odds ratios (ORs) using multivariable conditional logistic regression.

Results: Parental autoimmune disorder was weakly associated with autism spectrum disorders in offspring (maternal OR = 1.6 [95% confidence interval = 1.1-2.2]; paternal OR = 1.4 [1.0-2.0]). Several maternal autoimmune diseases were correlated with autism. For both parents, rheumatic fever was associated with autism spectrum disorders.

Conclusions: These data support previously reported associations between parental autoimmune disorders and autism spectrum disorders. Parental autoimmune disorders may represent a critical pathway that warrants more detailed investigation.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Lord C, Cook J, Edwin H, Leventhal BL, Amaral DG. Autism spectrum disorders. Neuron. 2000;28:355–363. - PubMed
    1. Ashwood P, Wills S, Van de Water J. The immune response in autism: a new frontier for autism research. J Leukoc Biol. 2006;80:1–15. - PubMed
    1. Ashwood P, Van de Water J. A review of autism and the immune response. Clin Dev Immunol. 2004;11:165–174. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Croen LA, Grether JK, Yoshida CK, Odouli R, Van de Water J. Maternal autoimmune diseases, asthma and allergies, and childhood autism spectrum disorders: a case-control study. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2005;159:151–157. - PubMed
    1. Mouridsen SE, Rich B, Isager T, Nedergaard NJ. Autoimmune diseases in parents of children with infantile autism: a case-control study. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2007;49:429–432. - PubMed

Publication types