ArticleBMC pediatrics2023
The association of vitamin A, zinc and copper levels with clinical symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorders in Jilin Province, China.
Article in BMC pediatrics, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.
- Metal Dyshomeostasis as a Driver of Gut Pathology in Autism Spectrum Disorders.Journal of neurochemistry · 2025Pooled it
- Essential element and toxic metal dyshomeostasis in childhood autism spectrum disorder: a comprehensive narrative review of correlations, tissue-specific distribution, and multifactorial regulation.Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience · 2026Review
- Vitamin A status is associated with sleep, clock genes, and symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- The serum trace metal signature distinguishes patients with psychiatric disorders from healthy controls.Biometals : an international journal on the role of metal ions in biology, biochemistry, and medicine · 2025Article
- Correlation of Co-Morbidities with Symptom Severity of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Survey.Nutrients · 2024Article
- The influence of multivitamins on neurological and growth disorders: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in nutrition · 2024Article
- The contributions of neonatal inhalation of copper to air pollution-induced neurodevelopmental outcomes in mice.Neurotoxicology · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThis study evaluated vitamin A (VA), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) levels in the population with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Jilin Province, China. Furthermore, we examined their links to core symptoms and neurodevelopment, as well as gastrointestinal (GI) comorbidities and sleep disorders.
methodsThis study included 181 children with autism and 205 typically developing (TD) children. The participants had not taken vitamin/mineral supplements in the prior three months. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to measure serum VA levels. By using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, Zn and Cu concentrations in plasma were determined. Importantly, the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, the Social Responsiveness Scale, and the Autism Behavior Checklist were used to measure core ASD symptoms. However, the Griffith Mental Development Scales-Chinese were used to measure neurodevelopment. GI comorbidities and sleep abnormalities were assessed with the 6 Item-Gastrointestinal Severity Index and Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire, respectively. Children with ASD with GI issues were grouped according to severity (low GI severity and high GI severity groups).
results(i) The difference in VA, Zn, Cu levels and the Zn/Cu ratio between ASD and TD children is small. But children with ASD had lower VA levels and Zn/Cu ratio, higher Cu levels than TD children. Cu levels in children with ASD were associated with the severity of core symptoms. (ii) Children with ASD were much more likely than their TD counterparts to suffer from GI comorbidities or sleep problems. Furthermore, it was observed that high GI severity was associated with lower levels of VA, whereas low GI severity was associated with higher levels of VA. (iii) The children with ASD who had both lower VA and lower Zn/Cu ratio had more severe scores on the Autism Behavior Checklist, but not on other measures.
conclusionChildren with ASD had lower VA and Zn/Cu ratio, and higher Cu levels. Cu levels in children with ASD were weakly correlated with one subscale on social or self-help. ASD children with lower VA levels may face more serious GI comorbidities. Children with ASD combined VA-Zn/Cu lower had more severe core symptoms.
trial registrationRegistration number: ChiCTR-OPC-17013502. Date of registration: 2017-11-23.
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