Risk of physical health comorbidities in autistic adults: clinical nested cross-sectional study
Background Physical health conditions are more common in individuals with autism. Some, like epilepsy, have considerable evidence supporting their increased prevalence, but many diseases lack literature to make strong conclusions. Aims To investigate the prevalence of physical health comorbidities...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2024-11-01
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| Series: | BJPsych Open |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472424007774/type/journal_article |
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| _version_ | 1850210251062640640 |
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| author | Megan Hunt Jack F. G. Underwood Leon Hubbard Jeremy Hall |
| author_facet | Megan Hunt Jack F. G. Underwood Leon Hubbard Jeremy Hall |
| author_sort | Megan Hunt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background
Physical health conditions are more common in individuals with autism. Some, like epilepsy, have considerable evidence supporting their increased prevalence, but many diseases lack literature to make strong conclusions.
Aims
To investigate the prevalence of physical health comorbidities in autism.
Method
We undertook a nested cross-sectional study, using a sample from the National Centre for Mental Health database. It included participants from England and Wales who reported a clinician-made diagnosis of autism (n = 813), and a control sample without autism or mental illness (n = 2781). Participants had provided a medical history at enrolment. Analysis was carried out by binomial logistic regressions controlling for age, gender, smoking status, and antipsychotic and mood stabiliser use. A subanalysis of individuals with concurrent intellectual disability (n = 86) used binomial logistic regression with the same control variables.
Results
Many physical health conditions were significantly more common in autism. Sixteen out of 28 conditions showed increased odds, with the highest odds ratios observed for liver disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, kidney disease, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. A subanalysis demonstrated a similar pattern of physical health in individuals with autism with and without concurrent intellectual disability. Some conditions, including osteoporosis, hyperthyroidism, head injury and liver disease, had larger odds ratios in individuals with concurrent intellectual disability.
Conclusions
Physical health conditions occur more commonly in individuals with autism, and certain conditions are further increased in those with concurrent intellectual disability. Our findings contribute to prior evidence, including novel associations, and suggest that people with autism are at greater risk of physical health problems throughout adulthood.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f482aede6f264df295d17c5f3b7d660f |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2056-4724 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BJPsych Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-f482aede6f264df295d17c5f3b7d660f2025-08-20T02:09:49ZengCambridge University PressBJPsych Open2056-47242024-11-011010.1192/bjo.2024.777Risk of physical health comorbidities in autistic adults: clinical nested cross-sectional studyMegan Hunt0https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8956-628XJack F. G. Underwood1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1731-6039Leon Hubbard2Jeremy Hall3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0403-3278Foundation Programme, North Bristol NHS Trust, UK; and Neuroscience & Mental Health Innovation Institute, Division for Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Cardiff University, UKNeuroscience & Mental Health Innovation Institute, Division for Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Cardiff University, UKNational Centre for Mental Health, Division for Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Cardiff University, UKNeuroscience & Mental Health Innovation Institute, Division for Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Cardiff University, UKBackground Physical health conditions are more common in individuals with autism. Some, like epilepsy, have considerable evidence supporting their increased prevalence, but many diseases lack literature to make strong conclusions. Aims To investigate the prevalence of physical health comorbidities in autism. Method We undertook a nested cross-sectional study, using a sample from the National Centre for Mental Health database. It included participants from England and Wales who reported a clinician-made diagnosis of autism (n = 813), and a control sample without autism or mental illness (n = 2781). Participants had provided a medical history at enrolment. Analysis was carried out by binomial logistic regressions controlling for age, gender, smoking status, and antipsychotic and mood stabiliser use. A subanalysis of individuals with concurrent intellectual disability (n = 86) used binomial logistic regression with the same control variables. Results Many physical health conditions were significantly more common in autism. Sixteen out of 28 conditions showed increased odds, with the highest odds ratios observed for liver disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, kidney disease, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. A subanalysis demonstrated a similar pattern of physical health in individuals with autism with and without concurrent intellectual disability. Some conditions, including osteoporosis, hyperthyroidism, head injury and liver disease, had larger odds ratios in individuals with concurrent intellectual disability. Conclusions Physical health conditions occur more commonly in individuals with autism, and certain conditions are further increased in those with concurrent intellectual disability. Our findings contribute to prior evidence, including novel associations, and suggest that people with autism are at greater risk of physical health problems throughout adulthood. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472424007774/type/journal_articleAutismphysical healthco-occurring conditions |
| spellingShingle | Megan Hunt Jack F. G. Underwood Leon Hubbard Jeremy Hall Risk of physical health comorbidities in autistic adults: clinical nested cross-sectional study BJPsych Open Autism physical health co-occurring conditions |
| title | Risk of physical health comorbidities in autistic adults: clinical nested cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Risk of physical health comorbidities in autistic adults: clinical nested cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Risk of physical health comorbidities in autistic adults: clinical nested cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Risk of physical health comorbidities in autistic adults: clinical nested cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Risk of physical health comorbidities in autistic adults: clinical nested cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | risk of physical health comorbidities in autistic adults clinical nested cross sectional study |
| topic | Autism physical health co-occurring conditions |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472424007774/type/journal_article |
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