Blood Test to diagnose Autism

I have read in todays press that it is possible to do a Blood Test to diagnose Autism.  You can google the info.  I am surprised that it is possible to do a blood test to diagnose Autism as it is really a personality with traits. I do not if it applies to Adults.  I am sure that if there is a real blood test many of us would be found not to have Autism but it would not help as we have the traits.    I do not know if one just has Asperger Syndrome whether that would show up on a blood test.

If you have any information or views on this subject I hope you will reply to me.

David

Parents
  • This text has been taken from the NHS website (https://www.nhs.uk/news/pregnancy-and-child/new-blood-test-autism-long-way/):

    "The study involved 38 children with ASD and 31 children without. Blood and urine samples were collected from all children and tested for various protein by-products, some of which are thought to be found at higher levels in people with ASD.

    "Based on the results of the tests, the researchers developed a computer-based model to predict whether a child had ASD or not. The model correctly identified 92% of the children who had ASD, and 84% of the children who did not.

    "This was an early study which provides the basis for further research. However it is far too soon to know if the test could ever be used in practice. [My emphasis.] From this single, small study we don't know that it's accurate enough or that it could improve upon existing methods for diagnosing ASD in clinical practice.

    "The causes of ASD remain largely unknown, and any ways of improving our understanding of the condition are welcome. But media claims that this new test would help spot ASD early currently have no basis. [My emphasis.]"

    You will note there is no reference to adults.

Reply
  • This text has been taken from the NHS website (https://www.nhs.uk/news/pregnancy-and-child/new-blood-test-autism-long-way/):

    "The study involved 38 children with ASD and 31 children without. Blood and urine samples were collected from all children and tested for various protein by-products, some of which are thought to be found at higher levels in people with ASD.

    "Based on the results of the tests, the researchers developed a computer-based model to predict whether a child had ASD or not. The model correctly identified 92% of the children who had ASD, and 84% of the children who did not.

    "This was an early study which provides the basis for further research. However it is far too soon to know if the test could ever be used in practice. [My emphasis.] From this single, small study we don't know that it's accurate enough or that it could improve upon existing methods for diagnosing ASD in clinical practice.

    "The causes of ASD remain largely unknown, and any ways of improving our understanding of the condition are welcome. But media claims that this new test would help spot ASD early currently have no basis. [My emphasis.]"

    You will note there is no reference to adults.

Children
  • Thanks for the heads up, and pointing to a reliable source (NHS). Personally, I'd be surprised if these results were reproduced by other researchers, partly because it seems so unlikely that autism has a single cause. A lot of people have been looking for contributory genes, but those identified only seem to account for at most 25% of cases of autism, whereas this feeds more into the 'oxidative stress' and 'auto-immune' ideas.

    The selective increase in DT may suggest a role of increased DUOX activity in subjects with ASD. DUOX expression is increased through activating transcription factor 2 in inflammatory signalling. DUOX has an important role in gut mucosal immunity, host–microbe homeostasis, and signalling for neutrophil recruitment into allergic airways. Gut microbiota may be influential in the development of the behavioural phenotype in ASD children

    I'd guess they're looking for a maintenance drug as much as a test, although that would meet a lot of resistance.  Here's the press release, less balanced than the NHS: https://warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/blood_and_urine/

  • "The causes of ASD remain largely unknown, and any ways of improving our understanding of the condition are welcome. But media claims that this new test would help spot ASD early currently have no basis. [My emphasis.]"

    You will note there is no reference to adults.

    .....Greetings to all here. I Post great support to what "Caretwo" first says. Please listen to that.

    ...If the stated "Test" were TRUE, then they would gain the same results in Autistic Adults. But, indeed, where is the research specifying and/or correlating *that*?