Overview of Current AIR-P Research

The Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) had a very productive first two years! The program successfully launched two large collaborative studies – both currently recruiting participants across the United States and in Canada. These studies focus on two challenges common in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD): sleep and nutrition. The Network is also supporting four more recent studies described below: Iron Status, Creatine Deficiency Syndrome, Bone Mineral Density, and Psychiatric Comorbidity and Sleep. We've recently approved four additional studies set to launch in the fall 2010.

AIR-P Sleep Study
“Development of a Parent-Based Sleep Education Program for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.” Under the leadership of Dr. Beth Malow, M.D., of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), this three-phase collaborative study compares how nurse-led education interventions potentially impact the sleep and night-time behaviors of children with ASD.

VUMC and Cincinnati began enrollment for phase 0 in May 2009. The University of Colorado has recently joined phase 1 recruitment efforts. The Toronto site began active study enrollment in phase 2 in January 2011. 

AIR-P Nutrition Study
“Diet and Nutrition in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Autism Treatment Network Collaborative Study.” This study, led by Susan Hyman, M.D. at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), investigates the food and supplement intake of children and adolescents with ASD. Researchers from the five participating ATN centers (URMC, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Children's Hospital-Denver, and University of Pittsburgh) plan to examine the correlation between nutritional status and medical and behavioral symptoms. They're also working to explore the potential relationships of dietary intake with feeding behavior and food preferences. The AIR-P nutrition proposal was approved in June 2009 and successfully launched in September 2009. The participating centers are working actively on enrollment and data management. 

Expanding ATN/AIR-P Research
The goals of the ATN include expanding the number of high-quality multidisciplinary clinical sites providing comprehensive evaluation and care for children and youth with ASD and advancing the evidence base and research on medical issues for children and youth with ASD.

Under the first ATN/AIR-P Network RFA: Pilot Subcontracts on Treatment Research Affecting Autism, we aimed to make available a mechanism to develop innovative research concepts and protocols that will help improve care for children with ASD. This RFA also provided the collaborative platform needed to carry out a series of pilot studies providing preliminary findings and to seek outside funding opportunities to develop full scale implementation and intervention research

Through our first AIR-P Network RFA we were able to successfully develop and support four new research projects:

  • “Defining the Relation of Sleep Disturbance in Autism Spectrum Disorder to Psychiatric and Behavioral Co-morbidities.” In this single-site study, Dr. Suzanne Goldman, Ph.D., of Vanderbilt University Medical Center aims to define the psychiatric and behavioral co-morbidities associated with disordered sleep in children with ASD.
     
  • “Bone Mineral Density in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.” In this study, Dr. Ann Neumeyer, M.D., from the MGH/LADDERS Clinic aims to investigate the degree to which bone mineral density is impaired in children with autism and to explore specific additional risk factors. Collaborating sites include Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
     
  • “Prevalence of Creatine Deficiency Syndromes and Genetic Variability in Creatine Metabolism in Children with ASD: A Pilot Study.” Dr. Andreas Schulze, M.D., and Alvin Loh, M.D., from the University of Toronto are leading the first comprehensive population-based study looking at the prevalence of Creatine Deficiency Syndromes in autism in an ethnically diverse group, which could have implications for the diagnosis, treatment and possible improvement in core symptoms of ASD. Collaborating sites include MGH/LADDERS/Lurie Center and the University of Colorado.
     
  • “Markers of Iron Status and Metabolism in Children with ASD.” In this study, Ann Reynolds, M.D., of the University of Colorado will evaluate iron intake, iron status and associated sleep disorders in a large, well characterized sample of children with ASD.

Five New AIR-P Studies Funded
Based on the success of the first RFA the ATN released a second AIR-P Network RFA in January 2010. Of the twelve proposals submitted, five were selected for funding.

  • “The Autism Impact Measure: A New Tool to Measure Treatment Outcome in ASD”
    PI – Stephen Kanne, Ph.D.
     
  • “Constipation and Toilet Training in Autism”
    PI – Peggy Marcon, M.D.
     
  • “Maternal Cholesterol and Autism”
    PI – Jean-Baptiste Roullet, M.D.
     
  • “Epileptiform Discharges and its Relation to Cognition and Behavior in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders”
    PI – Greg Barnes, M.D.
     
  • “The Study of Toddlers with Autism and Regression (STAR) Protocol: Screening for treatable disorders and biomarkers of inflammation and immune activation in the plasma and CNS”
    PI – Alvin Loh, M.D.

These studies have recently gotten under way. Check here periodically for reports on their progress.

Presentations & Publications
ATN/AIR-P researchers have been actively sharing some preliminary results of the ATN Registry and research efforts by presenting at over five national and international scientific, medical and specialty meetings and conferences. Read more about these presentations.

The ATN has also published four manuscripts since September 2009:

Kogan MD, Blumberg SJ, Schieve LA, Boyle CA, Perrin JM, Ghandour RM, Singh GK, Strickland BB, Trevathan E, van Dyck PC. Prevalence of Parent-Reported Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children in the US, 2007. Pediatrics. 2009 Oct 124:1395–1403

Coury D, Jones N, Klatka K, Winklosky B, Perrin J. Health Care for Children with Autism. Current Opinion in Pediatrics, 2009 Dec; 21(6):828-832

Coury D. Medical Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Current Opinion in Neurology (in press)

Kuhlthau KA, Orlich F, Hall TA, Sikora D, Kovacs EA, Delahaye J, Clemons T.. Health Related Quality of Life in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (in press)

Research Areas:
Sleep
Nutrition
Metabolics

Meet the Researchers:
Nutrition –Susan L. Hyman, M.D.
Sleep Disorders –Beth Malow. M.D., M.S.
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