Find in Library

Background The etiopathogenesis of autistic disorder is unknown. Some authors suggest that food peptides may reach the central nervous system through a defect of intestinal permeability and pro- duce toxic effects resulting in behavior impairment. Objectives To investigate the prevalence of increased intestinal permeability in children with autistic disorder using oral D-xylose test. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted on 27 children with autistic disorder and 54 healthy children (27 siblings and 27 unrelated children matching with those of the autistic group). The subjects underwent oral D-xylose test. Subjects were free from fever, drugs, and diarrhea. Student t-test and chi-square were used for statistical analysis. Results Prevalence of increased intestinal permeability in the au- tistic group was 63%, which proved to be significant (P=0.007, 95%CI: -0.931; -0.987) compared to controls. Conclusion The intestinal permeability significantly increased in autistic children