Anwar, S., Abdeldayem, H., El-Bordiny, M., Kamel, M. (2022). Study of Serum Level of L-Carnitine in Children with Non-Syndromic Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Biological Metabolic Marker. Suez Canal University Medical Journal, 25(2), 77-86. doi: 10.21608/scumj.2022.251408
Shimaa A.M. Anwar; Hussein H. Abdeldayem; Magdy M. El-Bordiny; Maha S. Kamel. "Study of Serum Level of L-Carnitine in Children with Non-Syndromic Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Biological Metabolic Marker". Suez Canal University Medical Journal, 25, 2, 2022, 77-86. doi: 10.21608/scumj.2022.251408
Anwar, S., Abdeldayem, H., El-Bordiny, M., Kamel, M. (2022). 'Study of Serum Level of L-Carnitine in Children with Non-Syndromic Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Biological Metabolic Marker', Suez Canal University Medical Journal, 25(2), pp. 77-86. doi: 10.21608/scumj.2022.251408
Anwar, S., Abdeldayem, H., El-Bordiny, M., Kamel, M. Study of Serum Level of L-Carnitine in Children with Non-Syndromic Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Biological Metabolic Marker. Suez Canal University Medical Journal, 2022; 25(2): 77-86. doi: 10.21608/scumj.2022.251408
Study of Serum Level of L-Carnitine in Children with Non-Syndromic Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Biological Metabolic Marker
1Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt
2Department of Clinical and Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt
3Department of Pediatrics, Ministry of Health, Alexandria, Egypt
Abstract
Background: Autism Spectrum Disease (ASD) is a complex developmental disorder. Children with autism spectrum disorder have low serum levels of L-carnitine. Aim:We aimed at assessing the reliability of using the serum level of L-carnitine as a biomarker in children with ASD. Subjects and Methods: This is a case-control study conducted on 60 children at the outpatient Neurobehavioral Clinic of Alexandria University Children’s Hospital (AUCH), divided into 2 groups. Group 1 (research group): 30 children diagnosed with ASD and Group 2 (control group): 30 healthy children. Children of both groups were subjected to history taking, clinical neurological examination, Childhood autism rating scale (CARS), and serum carnitine level measurement. Results: The mean serum level of L-carnitine in children with ASD was significantly lower in cases than in control children. No statistically significant correlation between low levels of serum L-carnitine and gender was detected in the patients’ group. The severity of ASD symptoms had a non-significant correlation with levels of L- carnitine. Conclusion: Serum L-carnitine can be considered a biochemical metabolic marker for mitochondrial dysfunction in children with ASD.