NDLI: Prevalence and comorbidities of autism among children referred to the outpatient clinics for neurodevelopmental disorders.

Content Provider	World Health Organization (WHO)-Global Index Medicus
Author	Mpaka, Davin Mbeya Okitundu, Daniel Luwa E-Andjafono Ndjukendi, Ally Omba N'situ, Adelin Mankubu Kinsala, Sebastien Yabassi Mukau, Joachim Ebwel Ngoma, Valentin Malanda Kashala-Abotnes, Espérance Ma-Miezi-Mampunza, Samuel Vogels, Annick Steyaert, Jeans
Description	Country affiliation: Democratic Republic of the Congo Author Affiliation: Mpaka DM ( Department of psychiatry, Center for Neuro- Psycho- Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.); Okitundu DL ( Department of Neurology, Center for Neuro- Psycho- Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.); Ndjukendi AO ( Department of psychiatry, Center for Neuro- Psycho- Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.); N'situ AM ( Department of psychiatry, Center for Neuro- Psycho- Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.); Kinsala SY ( Department of psychiatry, Center for Neuro- Psycho- Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.); Mukau JE ( National University of Pedagogy and Center for Assessment and Intervention for Children with mental Handicap and/or Autism, Democratic Republic of the Congo.); Ngoma VM ( Department of psychiatry, Center for Neuro- Psycho- Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.); Kashala-Abotnes E ( Department of Neurology, Center for Neuro- Psycho- Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo); Ma-Miezi-Mampunza S ( Department of psychiatry, Center for Neuro- Psycho- Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.); Vogels A ( Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL).); Steyaert J ( Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL).)
Abstract	INTRODUCTION: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that has been rarely diagnosed in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although a proportion of children do present features of ASD in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), little is known about it prevalence. Often, the co-morbidities constitute the upfront symptoms and therefore may it recognition and management difficult, aggravating as such the prognosis. The present study therefore aimed at studying the clinical profile of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the associated morbidities among children and adolescents in outpatient clinics in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo. METHODS: We conducted a cross sectional study in the three outpatients centers receiving patients referred for neurodevelopmental disorders in Kinshasa, DRC, from June 2008 to June 2010. A total of 450 subjects aged from 1-18 years old were referred and included in the study. The clinical diagnosis for ASD was made using the DSM-IV-R and the ADIR. Co-morbidities were identified using DSM-IV-R criteria together with an extensive clinical interview and observation. All patients were subject to an intellectual quotient evaluation and an electroencephalogram reporting. RESULTS: Of the 450 subjects referred, 120 (29.3%) received the diagnosis of ASD, with boys outnumbering girls (OR 3:1. The mean age was 7.9 years (SD 3.4) (p< 0.001). Intellectual disability (75.83 %) and epilepsy (72.50%) were the main co-morbidities significantly associated with autism (p< 0.001). It was also found that co-morbidities were most frequent in subjects with an IQ<70 (p=0.05). CONCLUSION: ASD is frequent among patients referred for neurodevelopmental disorders in the three outpatients' centers for neurodevelopmental disorders in Kinshasa. Males seem to be more affected than female. The main co-morbidities were epilepsy and intellectual disabilities. Our findings suggest that it is important to screen for ASD and co-morbidities among all subjects referred for neurodevelopmental disorders and to undertake survey on ASD in various structures of rejected children from the society in Kinshasa DRC. This will help to identify and manage ASD and associated co-morbidities at an early stage for a better prognosis.
File Format	HTM / HTML
e-ISSN	19378688
Journal	Pan African Medical Journal
Volume Number	25
Language	English
Publisher	African Field Epidemiology Network
Publisher Date	2016-01-01
Publisher Place	Uganda
Access Restriction	Open
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article

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