New research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Waisman Center found that adults living with autism spectrum disorder may face a higher risk of developing certain health issues — like cardiovascular, respiratory and digestive problems — than the rest of the population.
While the number of older adults diagnosed on the autism spectrum has increased in recent decades, autism research primarily focuses on children and adolescents.
"When we were going into this study we thought that we might see a couple of things that were elevated ... what we didn't expect is that we would see either similar or higher prevalence of almost all things except for cancer and hypertension and alcohol abuse," said Lauren Bishop-Fitzpatrick, lead author of the study.
Researchers used machine learning — a form of artificial intelligence — to analyze data that came from the electronic health records from the Marshfield Clinic in central Wisconsin of people with autism who had died.
"We've known for a long time that people on the spectrum have high rates of things like epilepsy and digestive problems," Bishop-Fitzpatrick said. "But in this sample we were able to see that they also had really high rates of cardiovascular problems, as well as motor problems, ear problems and infections."
The researchers compared the health records of 91 people with autism to more than 6,000 people without from the same region — a roughly equivalent ratio to what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates as the rate of autism in the U.S.
Researchers then used an algorithm that can identify health patterns that may distinguish people on the spectrum from the general population, she said.
"This is the first study, that we know of at least, to look at the health histories of people on the autism spectrum," Bishop-Fitzpatrick said. "So we had a lot of data to look at this sample of people."
Autism diagnosis saw a boom in the 1990s, but the diagnostic history of autism is relatively brief, she said. The first person ever diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder is in his 80s.
"At this point we know very little about the types of outcomes that people on the autism spectrum have in midlife, in old age," she said. "We've heard for many, many years from families that people on the spectrum have different types of health problems."
They also have different challenges in seeking and receiving care, Bishop-Fitzpatrick said. Those with autism spectrum disorder can experience sensory, environment and communication challenges by virtue of their condition, she said.
"All of these things really coalesce in a way that could be really disadvantageous to people on the spectrum in health care settings," she said.
Bishop-Fitzpatrick also notes the level of support they are able to receive when they reach middle age.
"Another really complicated thing about this is that by the time that people on the spectrum reach middle age their parents are likely in old age," she said. "People on the spectrum might need more support at doctors offices but parents may be unable to provide the same level of support that they were at earlier phases."
Bishop-Fitzpatrick says in theory they might be able to use a similar method to screen for autism, especially in adults where diagnosis is difficult to come by. Though at this point, research is still in a pilot phase.
"My hope is that we can do more to figure out mechanisms that can help us reach solutions to change the system to help people on the spectrum live better lives for longer," she said.