Desoky T, et al. - This research aspired to evaluate the thyroid profile, serum 25(OH)D levels and CD5 expression levels among autistic patients. Furthermore, the authors aimed to investigate the relationships between the measured biomarkers with each other on one side and with the disease severity on the other side. In the pathogenesis of autism via their immune-modulator actions, elevated CD5 expression and decreased 25(OH)D stores could play a potential role. Among autistic children, high thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) serum levels reflected the presence of thyroid dysfunction among such children although within the physiological range, which needed further assessment.

• The authors conducted this cross-sectional case-control study on 60 children with autism and 40 controls, recruited from Qena Governorate, Upper Egypt.
• They used childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) score to assess the included patients.
• Using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits, biochemical assays of thyroid function in the form of free triiodothyronine (FT3), free tetraiodothyronine (FT4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and 25(OH)D were done, while CD5 expression levels were measured using flow cytometry (FCM) analysis for all the included patients and controls.

• Among autistic children, the outcomes demonstrated significant higher mean serum TSH levels, mean CD5 expression levels with significant lower mean serum 25(OH)D levels when compared with the control group (p<0.05 for all).
• The authors observed significant negative correlations between CD5 with FT3, FT4 and 25(OH)D.
• With both FT3 and 25(OH)D, CARS score demonstrated significant negative correlations, while it was positively correlated with CD5 in a significant manner (p<0.05 for all).