Sialic acid and anti-ganglioside M1 antibodies are invaluable biomarkers correlated with the severity of autism spectrum disorder

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are devastating neurodevelopmental disorders that showed global increased prevalence. They are characterized by impairment of social communication and stereotyped patterns. This study aimed at measuring the levels of total sialic acid (SA) and anti-ganglioside M1 (anti- GM1) IgG antibodies as essential biomarkers in a cohort of children with ASD to identify their diagnostic yield as well as their correlation with the severity of autistic behaviors. The demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, and clinical data were recorded. The levels of total plasma SA and serum anti-GM1 IgG antibodies levels were measured in 100 children with ASD and 100 healthy controls. The severity of ASD-related symptoms was assessed by using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). Children with ASD had significantly higher levels of both SA and anti-GM1 antibodies than healthy controls (p