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Abstract

Objective: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition with genetic and environmental factors. Although consanguinity is a common practice in the Middle Eastern population, the association between consanguinity and ASD severity is not clear. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the records of 139 children (1.5-14 years) diagnosed with ASD from June 2011 to May 2024. The study analyzed the correlation between consanguinity, homozygosity, and ASD severity. Results: Of 139 cases, 74.1% were male, with an average age of diagnosis of 4.5 years (SD+- 2). Most ASD cases were at severity levels 2 (63.3%) and 3 (35.3%). Consanguinity was reported in 59% of cases, with a mean homozygosity rate of 4.6%. No significant correlation was found between consanguinity or homozygosity rates and ASD severity. Conclusion: No significant association was found between consanguinity or homozygosity rates and ASD severity. Further research is needed to explore the genetic mechanisms of ASD in consanguineous populations.

Keywords

Consanguinity Homozygosity Severity Autism Spectrum Disorder

Article Details

How to Cite
Al-Mamari, W., Idris, A. B., Fadlallah, N., Jalees, S., Al-Jabri, M., Al-Shehhi, H., Mohammed, M., & Alsayegh, A. (2024). Consanguinity: The innocent culprit in autism severity. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.18295/squmj.10.2024.052

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