Urine analysis is not useful for deciding if children with autism should try a casein or gluten free diet
A study by researchers at Great Ormond Street Hospital examined the urine of 65 boys with autism and 158 neurotypical boys (Cass H, et al Absence of urinary opioid peptides in children with Autism Arch. Dis. Child. Mar 2008 (online) - read the abstract here). Their urine was examined by High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC, the method used by laboratories around the world including the University of Sunderland Autism Research Unit), and a much more sensitive method - Matrix Assisted Laser Desorbtion Ionisation Time of Flight Mass Spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF MS).
Researchers found no significant difference between the urine of the
boys with autism or the neurotypical controls.
The researchers then looked at the peaks in the urine that are sometimes
claimed to be opiod peptides - markers from poorly digested casein and protein.
The highly reliable MALDI-TOF MS showed that these are definately not
peptides.
Previous research has already shown that urine analysis was not useful for
the diagnosis of autism (Wright B, et al Is the presence of urinary
indolyl-3-acryloylglycine associated with autism spectrum disorder? Dev Med
Child Neurol 2005, 47, 3: 190-192 read the abstract here) and this new research seems to give definitive evidence
that urine analyses for guidance as to whether a child should follow a gluten or
casein-free diet are, unfortunately a waste of time and
money.
Posted @ 23:36:45 on 30 April 2008 back to top
