Umbrella systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on comorbid physical conditions in people with autism spectrum disorder.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Umbrella systematic review synthesizing evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
PubMed 33161922 · doi:10.1192/bjp.2020.167
What was done
The authors conducted a PROSPERO-registered umbrella systematic review searching five databases for systematic reviews and meta-analyses evaluating comorbid physical conditions in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Study selection, data extraction, and quality assessments were performed in duplicate.
What was found
Of 5,552 retrieved articles, 24 systematic reviews were included (15 in children, 1 in adults, and 8 in mixed cohorts). The abstract does not provide specific numbers or effect estimates. Qualitatively, sleep problems, epilepsy, sensory impairments, atopy, autoimmune disorders, and obesity were more prevalent in people with ASD than in the general population. Asthma prevalence was not higher in ASD. Evidence for other physical conditions was sparse and inconsistent.
Why it matters
Recognizing common comorbid physical conditions in people with ASD helps clinicians deliver targeted medical management, prevent compounding communication barriers, and reduce secondary health risks such as obesity-related morbidity.
Limits
Adult populations were heavily underrepresented (only 1 review focused solely on adults). The included reviews reported substantial heterogeneity and methodological limitations within their underlying primary studies, leaving significant gaps in the evidence base.
Cited by
- supports Children with autism have a significantly increased incidence of seizures compared to children without autism.