Evaluation of plasma soluble fatty acid synthase levels among Saudi autistic children. Relation to disease severity.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the role of an apoptotic marker soluble fatty acid synthase (s-Fas) antigen in children with autism and its correlation to disease severity. METHODS The study was conducted between May 2011 and April 2012 at the Department of Physiology and Autism Research and Treatment Center (ARTC) at King Khalid University Hospital and King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Sixty children were enrolled, 20 as controls, 20 mild, and 20 with severe autism. Plasma samples were analyzed for s-Fas. RESULTS The levels of s-Fas were significantly higher in autistic children compared with control children (p<0.05). Furthermore, this increase was significantly more pronounced in children with severe autism as compared with mild autism, and there was a positive correlation between s-Fas levels and severe autism (p<0.05). CONCLUSION The s-Fas level is high in Saudi children with severe autism, and can be considered an indicator of disease severity. These findings may offer a new therapeutic or diagnostic tool for children suffering from severe autism.