Table 1.
Demographic and clinical characteristics of ASD patients and TD controls divided by age.
| ASD | TD | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participant characteristics | Total sample (n = 83) | Age ≤ 5 (n = 42) | Age > 5 (n = 41) | P-value* | Total sample (n = 79) | Age ≤ 5 (n = 35) | Age > 5 (n = 44) | P-value* |
| Age (years) | 6.06 ± 3.58 | 3.26 ± 0.89 | 8.9 ± 2.98 | n.a. | 6.8 ± 4.11 | 3.06 ± 1.5 | 9.7 ± 2.86 | n.a. |
| Boys (%) | 60 (72.3) | 29 (69.04) | 31 (75.6) | 0.653 | 57 (72.1%) | 24 (68.5%) | 33(75%) | 0.692 |
| DQ/IQ | 63.2 ± 20.8 | 56.8 ± 17.1 | 69.6 ± 22.4 | 0.022 | 93.9 ± 14.2 | 89.6 ± 11.2 | 95.3 ± 10.5 | 0.752 |
| DD/ID (%) | 54 (65.1) | 32 (76.2) | 22 (53.6) | 0.035 | n.a | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. |
| Regression (%) | 29 (35) | 19 (45.2) | 10 (24.4) | 0.065 | n.a | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. |
| Autism severity (ADOS CSS)° | 6.7 ± 1.8 | 6.6 ± 1.8 | 6.8 ± 1.8 | 0.845 | n.a. | n.a | n.a. | n.a. |
*
Fisher's Exact Test was performed for discrete variables gender, DD/ID and regression. T-test was performed for continuous variables DQ/IQ and ADOS-CSS. °The Social Communication Questionnaire was used to screen and exclude autism in TD children. DQ, developmental quotient; IQ, intelligence quotient; DD, developmental disability; ID, intellectual disability; ADOS, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. CSS, Calibrated Severity Score. n.a., not applicable.