Assessment of Sonographic Carotid Parameters in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comparative Case Control Study

ABSTRACT

Objective

To compare carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), systolic and diastolic diameters (D), intima-media thickness/diameter ratio (IDR) values in children with ASD, and control groups, and to analyze the correlation of these parameters with the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) scores.

Methods

This prospective case-control study included 37 children diagnosed with ASD and 38 individuals without ASD in the control group. Correlation assessments of sonographic measurements with CARS scores in the ASD group were also performed.

Results

Diastolic diameters of the right (median of ASD group:5.5 mm, control group:5.1 mm) and left (median of ASD group: 5.5 mm, in control group: 5.1 mm) side were higher in the ASD group (p = .015 and p = .032 respectively). A statistically significant correlation was detected between CARS score and left cIMT, right cIMT, right cIMT/systolic D, right cIMT/diastolic D, left cIMT/systolic D, and left cIMT/diastolic D (p < .05).

Conclusion

Vascular diameters, cIMT, and IDR values of children with ASD positively correlated with CARS scores, and these findings could be interpreted as a marker of early atherosclerosis in children with ASD.

KEYWORDS:

• Autism
• cardiovascular disease
• diameters
• Intima-media thickness

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Informed Consent Statement

Informed consent was obtained from all subjects and their families involved in the study.

Data Availability Statement

The data underlying this article will be shared upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.