| Title |
Levels of Metals in the Blood and Specific Porphyrins in the Urine in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Biological Trace Element Research, September 2014
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s12011-014-0121-6 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Marta Macedoni-Lukšič, David Gosar, Geir Bjørklund, Jasna Oražem, Jana Kodrič, Petra Lešnik-Musek, Mirjana Zupančič, Alenka France-Štiglic, Alenka Sešek-Briški, David Neubauer, Joško Osredkar |
| Abstract |
The aim of the present study was to determine the levels of metals in blood (zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), aluminium (Al), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg)), as well as the specific porphyrin levels in the urine of patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared with patients with other neurological disorders. The study was performed in a group of children with ASD (N = 52, average age = 6.2 years) and a control group of children with other neurological disorders (N = 22, average age = 6.6 years), matched in terms of intellectual abilities (Mann-Whitney U = 565.0, p = 0.595). Measurement of metals in blood was performed by atomic absorption spectrometry, while the HPLC method via a fluorescence detector was used to test urinary porphyrin levels. Results were compared across groups using a multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). In addition, a generalized linear model was used to establish the impact of group membership on the blood Cu/Zn ratio. In terms of blood levels of metals, no significant difference between the groups was found. However, compared to the control group, ASD group had significantly elevated blood Cu/Zn ratio (Wald χ (2) = 6.6, df = 1, p = 0.010). Additionally, no significant difference between the groups was found in terms of uroporphyrin I, heptacarboxyporphyrin I, hexacarboxyporphyrin and pentacarboxyporphyrin I. However, the levels of coproporphyrin I and coproporphyrin III were lower in the ASD group compared to the controls. Due to observed higher Cu/Zn ratio, it is suggested to test blood levels of Zn and Cu in all autistic children and give them a Zn supplement if needed. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 5 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Spain | 1 | 20% |
| Unknown | 4 | 80% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 5 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 85 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | 1 | 1% |
| Unknown | 84 | 99% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Researcher | 15 | 18% |
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 12 | 14% |
| Student > Master | 10 | 12% |
| Student > Bachelor | 8 | 9% |
| Student > Doctoral Student | 6 | 7% |
| Other | 15 | 18% |
| Unknown | 19 | 22% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine and Dentistry | 16 | 19% |
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 7 | 8% |
| Psychology | 7 | 8% |
| Nursing and Health Professions | 6 | 7% |
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 4 | 5% |
| Other | 19 | 22% |
| Unknown | 26 | 31% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 13. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 02 August 2016.
All research outputs
#2,844,190
of 25,654,806 outputs
Outputs from Biological Trace Element Research
#141
of 2,356 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#30,151
of 261,548 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Biological Trace Element Research
#1
of 27 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 25,654,806 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done well and is in the 88th percentile: it's in the top 25% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 2,356 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 5.3. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 93% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 261,548 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done well, scoring higher than 88% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 27 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 96% of its contemporaries.