Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Exhibit Elevated Physical Activity and Reduced Sedentary Behavior.

According to previous research, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have lower levels of physical activity than their typically developed (TD) counterparts. There have been conflicting reports about physical activity (PA) levels in people with ASD. Given the conflicting evidence, further investigation is required. We believe that evaluating PA in individuals with ASD is critical in order to offer PA intervention plans aiming at increasing their health-related physical fitness on a daily, systematic, and individualized basis. In the current study, an ActiGraph monitor (GT3X+) was used to accurately measure PA and sedentary activity in 21 children with autism aged 6.43 ± 2.29 years and 30 TD children aged 7.2 ± 3.14 years. Our data indicated that while the light and moderate activity counts were not significantly different between the two groups, the vigorous activity was significantly higher in ASD compared to TD. This finding was attributed to ASD characteristic stereotypy and self-stimulating behaviors. The significantly higher vigorous PA is discussed in relation to altered neurochemistry, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation as etiological mechanisms in ASD. This research provides a better understanding of the status of PA participation in individuals with ASD.

Corrigendum: Prevalence of overweight and obesity among saudi children: a comparison of two widely used international standards and the national growth references.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.954755.].

A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase Protein 8 (ADAM 8) in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Links to Neuroinflammation.

Background: Converging lines of evidence confirmed neuroinflammation's role in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) etiological pathway. A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 8 (ADAM8) play major roles in inflammatory and allergic processes in various diseases. Aim: This study aimed to investigate ADAM8 plasma levels in autistic children compared to healthy controls. Also, to discover the association between ADAM8, disease severity, and neuroinflammation in ASD. Methodology: This case-control study included children with ASD (n=40) and aged-matched healthy controls (n=40). The plasma levels of the ADAM 8 were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The assessment of ASD severity and social and sensory behaviors were categorized as mild, moderate and severe. Correlations among ADAM8 plasma levels and ASD severity scores [Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and Short Sensory Profile (SSP)] were obtained by Spearman correlation coefficient (r). Results: ASD children (n=40), including severe autism (n=21) and mild-to-moderate autism (n=19), showed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) lower plasma levels of ADAM8 [4683 (2885-5229); 4663 (4060-5000); 4632 (2885-5229)], respectively, than those of healthy controls [5000 (4047-5000)] [median (IQR) pg/mL]. However, there was no significant difference between the ADAM8 levels of children with severe and mild-to-moderate autism (p = 0.71). Moreover, ADAM8 plasma levels were not significantly correlated with the severity of ASD measured by behavioral scales [CARS (r= -0.11, p=0.55), SRS (r=0.11, p= 0.95), SSP (r=-0.23, p=0.23)]. Conclusion: The low ADAM8 plasma levels in children with ASD possibly indicated that ADAM8 might be implicated in the pathogenesis of ASD but not in the severity of the disease. These results should be interpreted with caution until additional studies are carried out with larger populations to decide whether the reduction in plasma ADAM8 levels is a mere consequence of ASD or if it plays a pathogenic role in the disease.

Assessment of a combination of plasma anti-histone autoantibodies and PLA2/PE ratio as potential biomarkers to clinically predict autism spectrum disorders.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficiencies in social interaction and repetitive behaviors. Multiple studies have reported abnormal cell membrane composition and autoimmunity as known mechanisms associated with the etiopathogenesis of ASD. In this study, multiple regression and combined receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve as statistic tools were done to clarify the relationship between phospholipase A2 and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) ratio (PLA2/PE) as marker of lipid metabolism and membrane fluidity, and antihistone-autoantibodies as marker of autoimmunity in the etiopathology of ASD. Furthermore, the study intended to define the linear combination that maximizes the partial area under an ROC curve for a panel of markers. Forty five children with ASD and forty age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled in the study. Using ELISA, the levels of antihistone-autoantibodies, and PLA2 were measured in the plasma of both groups. PE was measured using HPLC. Statistical analyses using ROC curves and multiple and logistic regression models were performed. A notable rise in the area under the curve was detected using combined ROC curve models. Additionally, higher specificity and sensitivity of the combined markers were documented. The present study indicates that the measurement of the predictive value of selected biomarkers related to autoimmunity and lipid metabolism in children with ASD using a ROC curve analysis should lead to a better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanism of ASD and its link with metabolism. This information may enable the early diagnosis and intervention.

Prevalence of overweight and obesity among saudi children: A comparison of two widely used international standards and the national growth references.

Objective: To compare three body mass index (BMI) classifications that are used to assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Saudi children aged 6-13 years: the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) age and gender cutoffs, the World Health Organization (WHO) growth references for school-aged children, and the Saudi (KSA) national growth references. Methods: The sample comprised 2,169 children (52.5% girls) derived from two cross-sectional studies conducted in Riyadh and Jeddah during the 2017 and 2019 school years, respectively. Body weight and height were measured, and BMI was calculated. Results: The proportions (%) of the participants who were classified as underweight, overweight, and obese varied according to the reference used: IOTF reference (13.8, 18.4, and 12.7), WHO reference (17.2, 19.1, and 18.9), and KSA reference (7.0, 22.4, and 9.3), respectively, indicating higher values for overweight and obesity prevalence when the WHO references were used. Kappa agreement measures between the three references were found to be high, with the coefficients ranging from 0.936 (between the IOTF and KSA references) to 0.849 (between the IOTF and WHO references). In all three classifications, girls exhibited lower overweight or obesity prevalence than boys. Family income, but not paternal or maternal education, was significantly (p = 0.015) associated with overweight/obesity when using the IOTF standards. In addition, having a small family in the house was significantly (p < 0.05) associated with obesity, irrespective of the classification system. Conclusion: Inconsistency was observed when estimating the prevalence of underweight, overweight, and obesity among Saudi children. However, when defining the overall prevalence of overweight plus obesity among Saudi children, the IOTF classification system performed in a similar way to the KSA references (31.1% versus 31.7%) compared to the WHO references (38.0%).

Protective Effect of Rutin Trihydrate Against Dose-Dependent, Cisplatin-Induced Cardiac Toxicity in Isolated Perfused Rat's Heart.

Background Cisplatin is a common anticancer drug with potential cardiac and renal toxicities. Rutin, a natural compound present in various medicinal plants, has been shown to protect against chemotherapy-induced toxicities. In this study, we explored the protective effect of rutin against the dose-dependent cardiotoxic effects of cisplatin such as perfusion pressure, histopathologic effect on the myocardium, and oxidative stress in isolated perfused rat hearts. Methodology The cardiotoxic effects of cisplatin were studied at three dosages (1, 7, and 14 mg/L) in isolated perfused rat hearts. The dose-dependent, cisplatin-induced toxic effects on left ventricular pressure (LVP), heart rate (HR), dp/dt (maximum), dp/dt (minimum), perfusion pressure, pressure-time index, contractility index, and duration of diastole were assessed. The effects of cisplatin were measured one minute before perfusion of cisplatin and 60 minutes after perfusion of the isolated rat hearts. Results Cisplatin (1-14 mg/L) caused a significant (p < 0.05) dose-dependent reduction in LVP. The percentage LVP values reduced from 94 ± 9 (control untreated hearts) to 70 ± 6, 69 ± 5, and 65 ± 4 in hearts treated with 1, 7, and 14 mg/L of cisplatin, respectively. Similarly, cisplatin at similar doses caused a marked reduction in the values of dp/dt (maximum), dp/dt (minimum), and pressure-time index in isolated rat hearts. The respective percentage values of these parameters compared to those of untreated hearts were significantly reduced from 101 ± 7 to 72 ± 5, 92 ± 8 to 69 ± 4, and 92 ± 12 to 57 ± 7 in hearts treated with 14 mg/L of cisplatin. Perfusion of hearts with rutin trihydrate (1 µM/L) 10 minutes before administration of cisplatin and throughout the experiment attenuated the detrimental effects of cisplatin on cardiac functions in isolated rat hearts (p < 0.05). In addition, cisplatin-induced degeneration and necrosis of cardiac muscle cells reduced with the concurrent administration of rutin and restored normal heart histology. Moreover, cisplatin-induced reduction in glutathione and increased level of malondialdehyde in the myocardium was reversed by concurrent administration of rutin in isolated rat hearts. Conclusions Cisplatin produced a dose-dependent impairment of several parameters of cardiac function such as LVP, contractility index, and pressure-time index. It caused histopathological alterations in isolated rat hearts. These harmful effects of cisplatin were suppressed by rutin trihydrate, suggesting the potential protective effects of rutin against cisplatin-induced cardiotoxicity. Rutin trihydrate also improved the reduced glutathione contents and suppressed the malondialdehyde contents in the cardiac tissue of isolated rat hearts, suggesting that the observed beneficial effects of rutin trihydrate in this study could be related to its antioxidant properties.

Breakfast consumption among Saudi primary-school children relative to sex and socio-demographic factors.

BACKGROUND: Breakfast is an important meal that provides essential nutrients and energy. However, few comprehensive studies have reported breakfast habits and related behaviors among Saudi children. This study investigated breakfast consumption patterns and the associations of socio-demographic variables with daily breakfast intake among Saudi children. METHODS: A multistage stratified cluster random sampling technique was used to select 1051 elementary school boys and girls in Riyadh. Body weight and height were measured and body mass index (BMI) was computed. The breakfast eating habits and behaviors were assessed using a specifically designed self-reported questionnaire that was completed by the children's parents. RESULTS: More than 79% of children skipped daily breakfast, with no significant sex difference. Children in private schools consumed breakfast more frequently than those attending public schools. Multivariate analyses showed that boys in private schools had a significantly higher intake of breakfast than that in boys in public schools, yet, boys in public schools had significantly higher BMI than boys in private schools. Using logistic regression while adjusting for confounders showed insignificant effect for parent education. Among breakfast eaters, spread cheese sandwiches were consumed most frequently, followed by fried egg sandwiches and breakfast cereals. Full-fat milk, tea with milk, water, and fruit juice were the most consumed drinks. Girls consumed significantly more fresh fruits during breakfast than did boys. Mothers prepared breakfast at home most of the time (84.5%). Parents appeared mostly satisfied with the breakfast consumed by their child at home and placed high importance on breakfast compared to lunch or dinner. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of school children who ate daily breakfast at home was low, which may have implications for children's school performance. Effort is needed to promote daily breakfast consumption among Saudi school children and to introduce appropriate interventions aimed at promoting daily breakfast consumption among Saudi children.

Insufficient Sleep Duration And Its Association With Breakfast Intake, Overweight/Obesity, Socio-Demographics And Selected Lifestyle Behaviors Among Saudi School Children.

OBJECTIVE: Adequate sleep is an important factor for maintaining good health among children. However, there have been few studies reporting on the association of sleep duration with breakfast intake frequency. This study examined the prevalence of nocturnal sleep duration among Saudi children and its association with breakfast intake, screen time, physical activity levels and socio-demographic variables. METHODS: A multistage stratified cluster random sampling technique was used to select 1051 elementary school children in Riyadh. Weight and height were measured and body mass index was computed. The sleep duration, daily breakfast intake frequency, socio-demographic and lifestyle behaviors were assessed using a specifically designed self-reported questionnaire filled by the children's parents. RESULTS: Over 71% of the Saudi school children did not attain the recommended sufficient sleep duration at night. Results of logistic regression analysis, adjusted for confounders, exhibited significant associations between longer sleep duration and younger age (aOR=1.12, p=0.046), being female (aOR=1.39, p=0.037), higher father educational levels, daily breakfast intake (aOR=1.44, p=0.049) and lower screen time (aOR for >2 hrs/day=0.69, p=0.033). However, no significant (p> 0.05) association was found for mother education, family income, number of family member in the house, overweight/obesity, or physical activity levels. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of insufficient nocturnal sleep among Saudi children was high. Insufficient sleep was associated with breakfast and several important socio-demographic and lifestyle behaviors. The findings of this study support the development of interventions to prevent insufficient sleep and help Saudi children improve their sleeping habits.