Perfil epidemiológico de pacientes diagnosticados com transtorno do espectro autista

Abstract

Introduction: Austism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is one of the main neurodevelopment disturbs, usually diagnosed before the third year of life, through symptoms like social isolation, improper social conduct, absense of eye contact and affective and emotional indifference. Risk factors associated to ASD have been studied for the past 40 years, like genetic anomalies and exposure to environmental factors in the prenatal and perinatal periods. Objectives: Identify clinicepidemiological profile of patients diagnosed with ASD that are in treatment in APAE (Associação de Pais e Amigos dos Excepcionais) in Passo Fundo, RS. Methods: 73 physical records of patients with ASD were analised, in order to design a clinicalepidemiological profile from variables such as sex, age, age at diagnosis, conditions associated with pregnancy, childbirth and neonatal period, family history, use of farmacological treatment and classification as verbal communication and autism degree. Results: Most patients were male (72,6%), aged by 10 years old (SD ± 6,5). Gestacional complications were observed in 44% of sample, and the most prevalent condition was gestational hypertensive disease (24,7%). In 24,3% of sample there were childbirth or neonatal period complication. The most prevalent comorbidity was intellectual disability. Two thirds of the patients were classified as non-verbals, and 65% present mild-moderate autism and 35% severe autism. Conclusion: the epidemiological profile of ASD patients in the region is in agreement with data from the Brazilian and world literature, but studies on risk factors for autism are needed to clarify their role in relation to the disease.