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Excess Mortality and Causes of Death in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Follow up of the 1980s Utah/UCLA Autism Epidemiologic Study

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Abstract

This study’s purpose was to investigate mortality among individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) ascertained during a 1980s statewide autism prevalence study (n = 305) in relation to controls. Twenty-nine of these individuals (9.5 %) died by the time of follow up, representing a hazard rate ratio of 9.9 (95 % CI 5.7–17.2) in relation to population controls. Death certificates identified respiratory, cardiac, and epileptic events as the most common causes of death. The elevated mortality risk associated with ASD in the study cohort appeared related to the presence of comorbid medical conditions and intellectual disability rather than ASD itself suggesting the importance of coordinated medical care for this high risk sub-population of individuals with ASD.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Autism Speaks Grant #5955. We thank the Pedigree and Population Resource (funded by the Huntsman Cancer Foundation) for its role in the ongoing collection, maintenance, and support of the Utah Population Database (UPDB).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, 650 Komas Drive, Suite 206, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA

    Deborah Bilder, Elizabeth L. Botts & Megan Farley

  2. Utah Population Database, Population Sciences, Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, 675 Arapeen Drive, Suite 200, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA

    Ken R. Smith & Richard Pimentel

  3. Department of Educational Psychology, University of Utah, 650 Komas Drive, Suite 206, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA

    Joseph Viskochil

  4. Department of Psychiatry and the Brain Institute, University of Utah, 650 Komas Drive, Suite 206, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA

    William M. McMahon & Hilary Coon

  5. University of Utah, 650 Komas Drive, Suite 206, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA

    Heidi Block

  6. University of California, Los Angeles, 760 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA

    Edward Ritvo

  7. Yale University School of Medicine, 11941 Saltair Terrace, Los Angeles, CA, 90049, USA

    Riva-Ariella Ritvo

  8. Neurobehavior HOME Program, 650 Komas Drive, Suite 200, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA

    Deborah Bilder

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  1. Deborah Bilder
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  2. Elizabeth L. Botts
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  3. Ken R. Smith
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  4. Richard Pimentel
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  5. Megan Farley
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  6. Joseph Viskochil
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  7. William M. McMahon
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  8. Heidi Block
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  9. Edward Ritvo
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  10. Riva-Ariella Ritvo
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  11. Hilary Coon
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Correspondence to Deborah Bilder.

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Bilder, D., Botts, E.L., Smith, K.R. et al. Excess Mortality and Causes of Death in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Follow up of the 1980s Utah/UCLA Autism Epidemiologic Study. J Autism Dev Disord 43, 1196–1204 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-012-1664-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-012-1664-z

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