Open AccessRELATIONSHIP OF SERUM DIPEPTIDYL PEPTIDASE-IV ACTIVITY AND ANTI-CASEIN ANTIBODIES TO GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOMS AMONG CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER: AN EGYPTIAN STUDY
Author(s) -
Inas R. El-Alameey,
Hanaa H. Ahmed,
Ihab M Eid,
Ghada El-dory,
Manal Gameel
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
asian journal of pharmaceutical and clinical research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2455-3891
pISSN - 0974-2441
DOI - 10.22159/ajpcr.2018.v11i4.22627
Subject(s) - medicine , abdominal pain , gastroenterology , autism spectrum disorder , autism , logistic regression , antibody , dipeptidyl peptidase 4 , childhood autism rating scale , endocrinology , immunology , psychiatry , diabetes mellitus , type 2 diabetes
Objectives: The objectives of the study were to assess serum dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) activity in autistic children suffering from severe gastrointestinal (GI) disorder and to examine the hypothesis that there is a link between DPP-IV activity in serum and GI disorder in a subgroup of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).Subjects and Methods: Serum levels of casein antibodies and DPP-IV enzyme activity from 40 autistic children with chronic GI symptoms, and 40 of age-matched children without autism or gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms were assayed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits.Results: In comparison with controls, developmental milestones were delayed among autistic children. The serum DPP-IV activity was significantly lower in the studied patients (p<0.05), while the mean serum levels of casein antibodies were statistically significantly higher in the studied patients (p<0.01). Multiple logistic regression analysis recorded significant association between the high serum level of antibodies to casein, food selectivity and recurrent attacks of abdominal pain (p<0.05), while the low serum DPP-IV enzyme activity was associated with recurrent attacks of abdominal pain in the studied patients with a prediction of 95% (p<0.05).Conclusions: Serum levels of casein antibodies were higher in children with ASD, and maybe contributes to their abdominal pain, and food selectivity. Serum DPP-IV enzyme activity was lower and associated with recurrent attacks of abdominal pain in the studied patients. They may benefit from a supplemental digestive enzyme formula.