The Microbial Factors, Trace Elements, and Important Biologi-cal Indicators in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-Analysis

Keli  Qu; Zhiliang Gao; Cong Chang; Meizhe Gao

doi:10.18502/ijph.v54i11.20382

Keli Qu Department of Child Healthcare, Shandong Provincial Third Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
Zhiliang Gao Department of Pediatric, Binzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Binzhou, China
Cong Chang Department of Rehabilitation, Binzhou Municipal Hospital, Binzhou, China
Meizhe Gao Department of Child Healthcare, Shandong Provincial Third Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v54i11.20382

Keywords: Microbial factor; Trace element; Important biological indicator; Serotonin; Autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

Background: We examined and compared microbiological variables, trace elements, and biological markers in autistic children.

Methods: Several databases, including the Cochrane Library, PubMed, OVID, Google Scholar, and Embase, were utilized for data collection and analysis. We studied meta-analysis data and used a continuous model with fixed or random effects to get mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Twenty-seven studies involving 2557 children from 2014 to 2024 were analyzed.

Results: Autism spectrum disorder had significantly higher C-reactive protein (MD, 1.25; 95% CI, 0.11-2.39, P=0.03), interleukin 6 (MD: 2.80; 95%CI, 1.13-4.46, P=0.001), serotonin (MD, 111.92; 95%CI, 63.75-160.09, P<0.001), Faecalibacterium (MD, 0.48; 95%CI: 0.29-0.66, P<0.001), and Parabacteroides (MD, 0.20; 95%CI: 0.14-0.26, P<0.001), lower oxytocin (MD, -53.24; 95% CI, -73.39- -33.09, P<0.001), and serum iron (MD, -5.78; 95% CI, -9.43- -2.13, P=0.002) compared to control in children.

Conclusion: Autism spectrum disorder had significantly higher C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, serotonin, Faecalibacterium, Parabacteroides, lower oxytocin, and serum iron compared to control in children. Further research studies with larger sample sizes are needed.