Triglicerídeo elevado em crianças e adolescentes com Transtorno do Espectro Autista: influência do interesse pela comida e do excesso de peso

Abstract

Introduction: It is estimated that Brazil has about 2 million individuals with Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Eating habits are formed by a set of genetic and environmental influences. There is evidence that fatty acid metabolism plays essential roles in proper neuronal formation and functioning. High TG levels are associated with low HDL-c levels and high levels of small, dense LDL particles and may indicate familial hypertriglyceridemia leading to risk of atherosclerotic disease. Objective: Investigate the serum concentration of triglycerides and its relationship with the eating behavior of children and adolescents with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) treated at the Unified Health System in southern Brazil. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, conducted from October 2018 to April 2019, in a Neurodevelopment Center. To assess the outcome in the present study, a fasting blood sample was collected and serum used for the measurement of serum triglyceride concentration. The guardians were given the Children’s Eating Behavior Questionnaire. The normality of the outcome was asymmetric, the comparison between two or three categories of variables was performed with nonparametric tests. Linear regression was used to evaluate the association between the log triglyceride serum concentration and the median score of the “food response” and “emotional over-intake” subscales. A statistically significant difference p≤0.05 was considered. Results: Sixty patients were evaluated, the average age was 8.6 ± 3.2 years, mostly white (75%), male (80%) and overweight (66%). Half of the sample had elevated triglycerides. Triglyceride concentration was higher among overweight children and adolescents with higher median scores on the “food response” and “emotional ingestion” subscales. In the adjusted analysis, the association between triglycerides and higher scores on subscales reflecting interest in food remained significant. Conclusions: Children and adolescents with ASD had high triglyceride concentrations associated with a greater interest in food. Knowledge of this eating behavior can be useful fo a most effective nutritional intervention in this population.