THE FIRST DIAGNOSTIC AUTISM BLOOD TEST, PROMISING RESULTS, FINALLY!
An earlier study, conducted in 2017, had correctly identified an overwhelming 96 percent of a positive autism diagnosis within a sample of 149 persons with ASD. A second study to replicate the earlier finding, conducted with 154 children aged 3 to 10 years with ASD seen at the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Institute correctly predicted 88% of cases. The lower proportion is still considered a success since fewer metabolites had been available for examination than in the later study.
An important significance of a diagnostic blood test for ASD is the possibility of identifying ASD at an age much earlier than at the ages of 3 and older, presently identifiable only clinically using a range of psychological and behavioral tests.
“These results form the foundation of a biochemical test for ASD which promises to aid diagnosis of ASD and provide biochemical understanding of the disease, applicable to at least a subset of the ASD population” say the study authors.
Reference: Howsmon DP, Vargason T, Rubin RA, et al, Bioengineering & Translational Medicine. May 14, 2018.
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