Premature mortality in autism spectrum disorder
2015/11/06 by Tatja Hirvikoski, Ellenor Mittendorfer-Rutz, Ellenor Mittendorfer‐Rutz +4 · 1,015 citations
Medicine · Neuroscience · Psychology · #Autism #Autism Spectrum Disorder Research #Autism spectrum disorder #Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues #Cohort #Demography #Down syndrome and intellectual disability research #Internal medicine #Medicine #Odds ratio #Pediatrics #Population #Proband #Psychiatry #Psychology #Residence
paper · pdf · doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.114.160192
published in The British Journal of Psychiatry 208(3), 232-238 (Cambridge University Press)
openalex publication_date 2015/11/06 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Mortality has been suggested to be increased in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). AIMS: To examine both all-cause and cause-specific mortality in ASD, as well as investigate moderating role of gender and intellectual ability. METHOD: Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated for a population-based cohort of ASD probands (n = 27,122, diagnosed between 1987 and 2009) compared with gender-, age- and county of residence-matched controls (n = 2,672,185). RESULTS: During the observed period, 24,358 (0.91%) individuals in the general population died, whereas the corresponding figure for individuals with ASD was 706 (2.60%; OR = 2.56; 95% CI 2.38-2.76). Cause-specific analyses showed elevated mortality in ASD for almost all analysed diagnostic categories. Mortality and patterns for cause-specific mortality were partly moderated by gender and general intellectual ability. CONCLUSIONS: Premature mortality was markedly increased in ASD owing to a multitude of medical conditions.
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