Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-cjp7w Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-22T17:31:02.426Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Symptomatic generalised joint hypermobility and autism spectrum disorder are associated in adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2022

M. Glans*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine and Health, University Health Care Research Centre, Örebro, Sweden
S. Bejerot
Affiliation:
Örebro University, Faculty Of Medicine And Health, Örebro, Sweden
M. Elwin
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine and Health, University Health Care Research Centre, Örebro, Sweden
M. Humble
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine and Health, University Health Care Research Centre, Örebro, Sweden
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Introduction

Intriguingly, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and symptomatic generalised joint hypermobility (S-GJH) (e.g. hypermobility spectrum disorders and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome) share several clinical manifestations including motor difficulties, sensory hypersensitivity and autonomic dysfunction. Moreover, many syndromic forms of ASD manifest a hypermobile phenotype. Despite the increased interest in the area, few systematic studies are available.

Objectives

This large cross-sectional comparative study aimed to examine the association between S-GJH and ASD in adults.

Methods

We assessed GJH by physical examination using the Beighton Scoring System (BSS) and collected data on musculoskeletal symptoms and skin abnormalities amongst 156 adult patients with ASD and 413 adult community controls. A proxy for S-GJH was created by combining a positive BSS with at least one additional musculoskeletal symptom or skin abnormality.

Results

The prevalence of S-GJH was significantly higher amongst patients with ASD than amongst controls (16.7% vs 4.8%, p< .001). A logistic regression model, adjusting for candidate covariates of GJH (age, sex, race), revealed a significant influence of ASD on S-GJH with adjusted odds ratio of 5.4 (95% CI 2.8-10.5, p< .001).

Conclusions

ASD and S-GJH are associated in adults. If recognised, musculoskeletal complications related to S-GJH can be relieved by physiotherapy. Clinicians should be familiar with that symptoms frequently occurring in GJH such as pain, fatigue and orthostatic intolerance may mimic or aggravate psychiatric symptoms (e.g. depression, anxiety). Knowledge about comorbidities may provide clues to underlying aethiopathological factors. Future research to clarify the mechanisms behind this association and to evaluate how comorbid S-GJH affects ASD outcome is warranted.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Type
Abstract
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.