Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41094419›Full record

ArticleBMC psychiatry2025

Observed improvements in immune parameters and behavioral symptoms following low-dose IL-2 treatment in four autistic children with immune dysfunction.

Huiling Chen, Meng Li, Penghao Yao, Zuqing Nie, Li Xu, Yan Zhang, Xinyi Xu, Chen Shen, Juli Huang, Yan Liu and 4 more

Abstract readCase Reports
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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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

14 authors.

Huiling ChenOutpatient Department, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Meng LiOutpatient Department, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Penghao YaoOutpatient Department, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Zuqing NieThe Key Laboratory, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Li XuPsychiatric Department, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Yan ZhangPsychiatric Department, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Xinyi XuOutpatient Department, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Chen ShenThe Key Laboratory, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Juli HuangPediatrics Department, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Yan LiuPediatrics Department, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Zhiwei LiThe Key Laboratory, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Jie WenThe Key Laboratory, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Lin ZhaoPediatrics Department, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China. 13888410901@163.com.
Xia CaoOutpatient Department, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China. caoxia@kmmu.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition for which there are no definitive medications targeting core symptoms. Growing evidence indicates that individuals with ASD exhibit immune dysfunction and evidence of peripheral and central inflammation. Immunotherapy interventions have shown promise in addressing this dysregulation. Notably, low-dose Interleukin-2 (Ld IL-2), an established treatment for certain autoimmune diseases, represents a potential therapeutic approach. Our study aims to investigate the association between Ld IL-2-induced immune modulation and behavioral improvements in children with ASD. This research may offer novel insights into potential treatment strategies for ASD. CASE PRESENTATION: In our previously completed single-arm, self-controlled clinical study (data unpublished), 24 ASD children with immune abnormalities received Ld IL-2 treatment, all of whom showed varying degrees of symptom improvement. This paper presents case reports of four ASD children who demonstrated marked clinical improvement and substantial correction of immune imbalance following treatment. The average age of 4 participants was approximately 6 years old, comprising two boys and two girls. Assessments using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale(CARS), Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC), Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC), Krug's Autism Behavior Scale (CABS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Caregiver Strain Questionnaire (CGSQ)revealed substantial behavioral improvements and no adverse events. Improvements persisted for three months post-treatment, with notable progress in Speech/Language/Communication and body/health/behavior domains. According to caregivers, there has been a observed improvement in the subjects' sleep quality, accompanied by a gradual restoration of overall physical health. Immune testing in the four pediatric patients revealed a marked decrease in both the proportion of Type 1 cytotoxic T cells (Tc1) and the Tc1/Regulatory T cell ratio.

conclusionsOur findings in these four cases describe an association between Ld IL-2 treatment and observed improvements in ASD symptoms, potentially linked to immune modulation.

Indexed as

Autism Spectrum DisorderInterleukin-2ChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansMaleTreatment OutcomeInterleukin-2Autism spectrum disordersCytokinesImmune dysfunctionLow-dose IL-2Regulatory t cell

Identifiers

PMID41094419
PMCPMC12523040

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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.