Urinary Markers Show Promise in ASD - Summary - MDSpire

Urinary Markers Show Promise in ASD

Findings add to growing evidence in favor of microbiome-associated metabolite analysis for ASD screening and stratification

  • June 15, 2026

  • 3 min

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Objective:

To evaluate the potential of urinary microbially derived metabolites as a diagnostic tool for identifying a subgroup of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Approach:
    Key Findings:
    • Initial testing identified numerous metabolites that differed between ASD and control groups.
    • 90% of children with ASD had at least one markedly elevated metabolite, with a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 100%.
    • In a separate validation analysis, sensitivity was 78% while specificity remained 100%.
    • Key metabolites distinguishing groups included p-cresol, p-cresol sulfate, indole-3-acryloyl glycine, phenylacetylglutamine, and arabinitol.
    Interpretation:

    Limitations:
    • Study included fewer than 100 participants.
    • Excluded children with known genetic causes of autism.
    • Did not collect information on diet, medication use, or body mass index.
    Conclusion:

Original Source(s)

Urinary Markers Show Promise in ASD

  • June 15, 2026

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