Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27448796›Full record

Observational studyItalian journal of pediatrics2016

Can biological components predict short-term evolution in Autism Spectrum Disorders? A proof-of-concept study.

Leonardo Emberti Gialloreti, Arianna Benvenuto, Barbara Battan, Francesca Benassi, Paolo Curatolo

Abstract readComparative StudyObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Italian journal of pediatrics, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Leonardo Emberti GialloretiDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", via Montpellier 1, 00133, Rome, Italy.
Arianna BenvenutoDepartment of Neuroscience, Pediatric Neurology Unit, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", via Montpellier 1, 00133, Rome, Italy.
Barbara BattanDepartment of Neuroscience, Pediatric Neurology Unit, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", via Montpellier 1, 00133, Rome, Italy.
Francesca BenassiCentre for Communication and Neurorehabilitation Research-CNAPP, via Marcantonio Boldetti 12, 00162, Rome, Italy.
Paolo CuratoloDepartment of Neuroscience, Pediatric Neurology Unit, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", via Montpellier 1, 00133, Rome, Italy. curatolo@uniroma2.it.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe clinical and pathogenetic heterogeneity of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) limits our ability to predict its short- and long-term evolution. Aim of this naturalistic study was to observe the clinical evolution of very young children with ASD for 12 months after first diagnosis, in order to identify those children who might develop a more positive trajectory and understand how a wide range of biological, clinical and familial factors can influence prognosis.

methodsNinety-two children were characterized in terms of family history, prenatal and perinatal variables, and clinical conditions. The sample was divided into four subgroups based on the association of 22 biological, clinical and family history variables. Developmental Quotient (DQ), determined using the Psychoeducational Profile Revised (PEP-R), and symptoms severity, measured by means of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), were evaluated at baseline (T0) and after one year (T1), while receiving treatment as usual. Changes in DQ and ADOS between baseline and follow-up and differences in the short-term evolution of the four subgroups were analyzed.

resultsAt T1, 55.4 % of the children demonstrated some gains either of autistic symptomatology or of developmental skills. Mean ADOS score was 13.63 ± 3.67 at T0 and 10.85 ± 4.10 at T1 and mean DQ was 0.64 ± 0.14 at T0 and 0.66 ± 0.15 at T1. At follow-up, 33.7 % of the children showed an improvement in DQ and 37 % presented a less severe symptomatology, measured by means of ADOS. Overall, 15.2 % of the sample displayed major improvements both on developmental quotient and ADOS severity score; these children presented less EEG abnormalities and familial psychiatric disorders. The four subgroups, based on biological, clinical and familial variables, showed differing trends in terms of evolution.

conclusionsCategorizing very young children with ASD in terms of biological, clinical and familial variables can be instrumental in predicting short-term evolution. This exploratory study highlights the importance of a precise characterization and thorough analysis of interactions among biological and clinical variables, in order to predict the developmental evolution in children with ASD.

Indexed as

Biological EvolutionEarly DiagnosisAge FactorsAutism Spectrum DisorderChild, PreschoolDisease ProgressionFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansInfantLongitudinal StudiesMaleNeuropsychological TestsRisk AssessmentSampling StudiesSeverity of Illness IndexAutism Spectrum DisordersAutistic symptomsBiological subtypesDevelopmental profilesPredicting factors

Identifiers

PMID27448796
PMCPMC4957293

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.