Biomarkers for autism discovered

[fla]

Immune related proteins are a signature. An M.E. test is next with another immune related protein signature?

http://www.nature.com/tp/journal/v2/n3/full/tp201219a.html

 

[adreno]

Very interesting, thanks.

 

[Enid]

:victory: Stunning news - thanks fla - and an ME test with another immune related protein signature - let's hope. (And treat Autism more effectively in the meantime).

 

[Merry]

In my family the autism story and the ME story are connected, so this is very good news indeed.

 

[oceanblue]

Immune related proteins are a signature. An M.E. test is next with another immune related protein signature?
http://www.nature.com/tp/journal/v2/n3/full/tp201219a.html

Sadly, this is the usual story with no replication on an independent sample. The thresholds used are chosen to maximise the difference between patients and controls in this particular sample which artificially inflates the effectiveness of the test; until the results are replicated using the same thresholds on an independent sample it really doesn't mean much. Worse still, this isn't one biomarker but a combination of 3, which means 3 thresholds to tweak to maximise the difference between patients and samples; replication on an independent sample is key.

In any case, the ROC (AUC) for all subjects of 0.81 is nothing to write home about; the ROC of 0.92 for those without sample hemolysis (indicating a damages sample) is more impressive, but is based on only 49 subjects.

Given that ASD is a heterogenous condition, much bigger independent samples are needed. Hopefully they will do this, at which point they may be able to back up the claim that:

This novel set of biomarkers allows for a reliable blood-based diagnostic tool that may be used in diagnosis and potentially, in prognosis of ASD.

Meanwhile, I'm sure it will grab a lot of headlines.

Sorry if I sound irritated, but I am a little fed up with researchers jumping up and down about biomarkers everytime they make an interesting finding. I suppose it's good to know it isn't restricted to CFS research.