[Analysis of Inborn Error Metabolism in 277 Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders from Hainan].

OBJECTIVE:To assess the value of dry blood spot tandem mass spectrometry for the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).METHODS:Peripheral blood samples of 277 autistic children were collected. Their amino acid and carnitine profiles were detected by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Urine samples of suspected patients were collected for verification by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Blood samples were also taken for genetic testing.RESULTS:Of the 277 children with ASD, 19 (6.9%) were suspected to be with inborn error of metabolism (IEM), which included 6 cases with amino acidemia, 9 with organic acidemia and 4 with fatty acidemia. Three cases of phenylketonuria, one case of homocysteinemia, one case of propionemia, one case of methylmalonic acidemia, one case of glutaric acidemia, one case of isovaleric acidemia, one case of argininemia, one case of citrullinemia I and four cases of primary carnitine deficiency were confirmed by genetic testing, which yielded an overall diagnostic rate of 5.1% (14/277).CONCLUSION:Our result has provided further evidence for the co-occurrence of ASD and IEM. Tandem mass spectrometry has a great value for the diagnosis and treatment of ASD in childhood.