To compare fecal levels of inflammatory proteins in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their healthy siblings, addressing the inconsistent evidence of gut inflammation in ASD.
Key Findings:
Children with ASD showed trends toward higher IgA and calprotectin and lower α1-antitrypsin compared to siblings, but differences were not statistically significant. Notably, subgroup analysis indicated higher IgA in moderate ASD and altered S100A8/S100A9 ratio in severe ASD, though these findings were exploratory and should be interpreted cautiously.
Interpretation:
The study's results align with meta-analyses indicating no consistent evidence of gut inflammation in ASD, suggesting that inflammatory protein levels may not serve as reliable biomarkers and highlighting the need for further investigation.
Limitations:
The sample size for subgroup analyses was small, leading to underpowered results.
Findings are exploratory and require validation in larger, adequately powered studies.
Potential biases in sibling-matched studies should be considered.
Conclusion:
Further research with larger cohorts is necessary to clarify the role of stool proteins in ASD and to explore potential biomarkers for gut inflammation, particularly through well-designed, pre-registered studies.
