Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in a Large Pediatric Autism Sample

Article Figures & Data

TABLE 1

Characteristics of ATN Participants According to CAM Usage

Characteristic	No CAM Usage^a	Any CAM Usage	Total
Age, y
2–5	1274 (56)	514 (57)	1788
6–11	765 (34)	297 (33)	1062
12–18	238 (10)	85 (9)	323
Gender
Male	1924 (85)	747 (83)	2671
Female	353 (15)	149 (17)	502
ASD
Autism	1481 (65)	633 (71)	2114
Asperger’s	215 (9)	74 (8)	289
PDD-NOS	581 (26)	189 (21)	770
Caregiver(s)’ highest level of education
High school graduate or less	360 (17)	69 (8)	429
Some college	619 (29)	197 (23)	816
College graduate	598 (28)	311 (36)	909
Postgraduate work	573 (27)	275 (32)	848
Missing	—	—	171
Race
White	1738 (76)	732 (82)	2470
Black/African American	195 (9)	31 (3)	226
Asian	116 (5)	46 (5)	162
Other	228 (10)	87 (10)	315
Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino origin	243 (11)	64 (7)	307
Not of Hispanic or Latino origin	1984 (89)	811 (93)	2795
Missing	—	—	71
Parent-reported GI problems
No	1151 (52)	305 (35)	1456
Yes	1064 (48)	568 (65)	1632
Missing	—	—	85
Parent-reported sleep problems as measured by using the CSHQ (age <11 y)
No	566 (33)	219 (31)	924
Yes	1156 (67)	477 (69)	1882
Missing	—	—	367
CBCL internalizing t score
<70	1632 (76)	602 (71)	2234
≥70	523 (24)	249 (29)	772
CBCL externalizing t score
<70	1796 (83)	688 (81)	2484
≥70	359 (17)	163 (19)	522
CBCL total score
<70	1488 (69)	538 (63)	2026
≥70	667 (31)	313 (37)	980
Missing CBCL data	—	—	167
Parent-reported history of seizures
No	1916 (85)	678 (76)	2594
Yes	336 (15)	206 (24)	545
Missing			34
Reported psychotropic medication usage
No	1387 (73)	547 (73)	1934
Yes	516 (27)	206 (27)	722
Missing	—	—	517

TABLE 2

Rates of Specific CAM Usage

Characteristic	N
Any CAM	896
Special diets	548
Gluten-free diet	249
Casein-free diet	289
No processed sugars	69
No sugars or salicylates	28
Feingold diet	14
Other specified special diet	293
Other CAM	643
Other vitamin supplements	413
Probiotics	274
Essential fatty acids	171
Digestive enzymes	116
Higher dosing vitamin B₆ and magnesium	99
Chiropractic	77
Amino acids	59
Antifungals	58
Glutathione	33
Chelation	19
Hyperbaric oxygen	12
Acupuncture	10
Sulfation	7
Other specified CAM	173

TABLE 3

Associations (ORs) Between Use of Any CAM and Subgroup Categories of Special Diets and “Other” CAM

Factor	Exposure		Any CAM (n = 896)	Special Diets (n= 548)^a	Other CAM (n = 643)^a
Factor	A Versus B		Any CAM (n = 896)	Special Diets (n= 548)^a	Other CAM (n = 643)^a
Gender	Male	Female	0.92	0.96	0.88
ASD	Asperger’s	Autism	0.81^*	0.51^*	0.91
	PDD-NOS	Autism	0.76^*	0.70^*	0.77^*
Parent-reported GI problems	Yes	No	2.01^*	2.46^*	1.91^*
Parent-reported sleep problems as measured by using the CSHQ	Yes	No	1.07	1.08	0.96
Parent-reported history of seizures	Yes	No	1.76^*	2.16^*	1.71^*
CBCL internalizing T score	Yes	No	1.29^*	1.39^*	1.19^*
CBCL externalizing T score	Yes	No	1.19^*	1.29^*	1.01
CBCL total score	Yes	No	1.30^*	1.42^*	1.14^*
Reported psychotropic medication usage	Yes	No	1.01	0.79^*	1.14

TABLE 4

Multivariable Associations (ORs) Between Use of Any CAM, Special Diets, or Other CAM

Factor	Exposure		Any CAM^a (n = 896)	Special Diets^a,^b (n = 548)	Other CAM^a,^b (n = 643)
	A Versus B		Any CAM^a (n = 896)	Special Diets^a,^b (n = 548)	Other CAM^a,^b (n = 643)
ASD	Asperger’s	Autism	0.62 (0.46–0.84)	0.44 (0.28–0.69)	0.72 (0.52–1.00)
	PDD-NOS	Autism	0.66 (0.54–0.82)	0.65 (0.49–0.85)	0.67 (0.53–0.84)
Parent-reported GI problems	Yes	No	1.88 (1.57–2.25)	2.38 (1.86–3.05)	1.82 (1.50–2.22)
CBCL total score	Yes	No	1.29 (1.06–1.56)	1.34 (1.04–1.72)	NS^c
Parent-reported history of seizures	Yes	No	1.58 (1.27–1.96)	1.97 (1.50–2.59)	1.66 (1.30–2.10)
Reported psychotropic medication usage	Yes	No	NS^c	0.69 (0.52–0.91)	NS^c

↵a ORs (95% confidence intervals) from stage 3 model, comparing the outcome with no CAM usage.
↵b Compared with the no CAM usage group.
↵c Non significant differences.