Anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies in autism spectrum disorder: a marker of subclinical autoimmune activity in children
International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, cilt.72, sa.3, ss.609-621, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 72 Sayı: 3
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1080/20473869.2026.2623086
- Dergi Adı: International Journal of Developmental Disabilities
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, CINAHL, EBSCO Education Source, Education Abstracts, EMBASE, ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Psycinfo, Biomedical Reference Collection: Corporate Edition (EBSCO), Education Source Ultimate (EBSCO), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest)
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.609-621
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Autism spectrum disorder, anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies, autoimmunity, immune dysregulation, biomarker, children
- Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) antibodies as a potential biomarker of autoimmune susceptibility in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: We enrolled 81 children aged 2–7 years with ASD and 60 typically developing controls. All participants were evaluated using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children–Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL), the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and an age-appropriate developmental or intelligence assessment. Fasting serum samples were analyzed for anti-TPO, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and free thyroxine (fT4) levels using the electrochemiluminescence method. Results: Anti-TPO levels were significantly higher in ASD than in controls (p < 0.001), while TSH and fT4 were comparable; receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated moderate discriminative ability (AUC = 0.718). Anti-TPO levels were not correlated with autism symptom severity. In multivariable models, elevated anti-TPO levels, advanced paternal age, and a family history of psychiatric disorders were independently associated with the presence of ASD. Conclusions: These findings suggest that children with ASD may exhibit subtle subclinical autoimmune activation, even within normal anti-TPO ranges. Anti-TPO antibodies may therefore serve as a biomarker of autoimmune susceptibility in autism. Larger, longitudinal studies are warranted to clarify their prognostic value and potential role in early risk stratification.