Can bronchoscopic airway anatomy be an indicator of autism?

J Autism Dev Disord. 2013 Apr;43(4):911-6. doi: 10.1007/s10803-012-1635-4.

Abstract

Bronchoscopic evaluations revealed that some children have double branching of bronchi (designated "doublets") in the lower lungs airways, rather than normal, single branching. Retrospective analyses revealed only one commonality in them: all subjects with doublets also had autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). That is, 49 subjects exhibited the presence of initial normal anatomy in upper airway followed by doublets in the lower airway. In contrast, the normal branching pattern was noted in all the remaining 410 subjects who did not have a diagnosis of autism/ASD. We propose that the presence of doublets might be an objective, reliable, and valid biologic marker of autism/ASD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Biomarkers
  • Bronchi / abnormalities
  • Bronchi / anatomy & histology*
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Child
  • Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / diagnosis*
  • Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / etiology
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Retrospective Studies

Substances

  • Biomarkers