1. Kushak RI, Lauwers GY, Winter HS, Buie TM. {{Intestinal disaccharidase activity in patients with autism: Effect of age, gender, and intestinal inflammation}}. {Autism};2011 (Mar 17)
Intestinal disaccharidase activities were measured in 199 individuals with autism to determine the frequency of enzyme deficiency. All patients had duodenal biopsies that were evaluated morphologically and assayed for lactase, sucrase, and maltase activity. Frequency of lactase deficiency was 58% in autistic children </= 5 years old and 65% in older patients. As would be expected, patients with autism at age 5 > years demonstrated significant decline in lactase activity (24%, p = .02) in comparison with </= 5 years old autistic patients. Boys </= 5 years old with autism had 1.7 fold lower lactase activity than girls with autism (p = .02). Only 6% of autistic patients had intestinal inflammation. Lactase deficiency not associated with intestinal inflammation or injury is common in autistic children and may contribute to abdominal discomfort, pain and observed aberrant behavior. Most autistic children with lactose intolerance are not identified by clinical history.
2. Reisinger LM, Cornish KM, Fombonne E. {{Diagnostic Differentiation of Autism Spectrum Disorders and Pragmatic Language Impairment}}. {J Autism Dev Disord};2011 (Mar 17)
The present study examined diagnostic differentiation between school-aged children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and children with pragmatic language impairment (PLI). Standardized diagnostic instruments were used to investigate the relationship between severity of ‘autism triad’ impairments and group membership. The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule was administered to 19 children with PLI and 22 children with ASD. Parents completed the Social Communication Questionnaire. There was a significant difference between diagnostic groups in the level of the severity of behaviors represented by the Communication and Reciprocal Social Interaction sub-domains on both diagnostic measures. Currently displayed Repetitive and Restricted Behaviors and Interests were not found to be useful for differentiating between groups. The similarities found between groups have important implications for intervention.
