Dorota Mrozek-Budzyn 1 , Agnieszka Kiełtyka, Renata Majewska
Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2010 May;29(5):397-400
Affiliations
- PMID: 19952979
- DOI: 10.1097/INF.0b013e3181c40a8a
| AAP: Researchers in Poland compared vaccination history and autism diagnosis in 96 children age 2 to 15 years with autism and 192 children in a control group. For those vaccinated before a diagnosis of autism, the autism risk was lower for individuals who received the MMR vaccine than for those who were not vaccinated. The result was similar for children who received a single-antigen measles vaccine. |
Abstract
Objective: The first objective of the study was to determine whether there is a relationship between the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination and autism in children. The second objective was to examine whether the risk of autism differs between use of MMR and the single measles vaccine.
Design: Case-control study.
Study population: The 96 cases with childhood or atypical autism, aged 2 to 15, were included into the study group. Controls consisted of 192 children individually matched to cases by year of birth, sex, and general practitioners.
Methods: Data on autism diagnosis and vaccination history were from physicians. Data on the other probable autism risk factors were collected from mothers. Logistic conditional regression was used to assess the risk of autism resulting from vaccination. Assessment was made for children vaccinated (1) Before diagnosis of autism, and (2) Before first symptoms of autism onset. Odds ratios were adjusted to mother’s age, medication during pregnancy, gestation time, perinatal injury and Apgar score.
Results: For children vaccinated before diagnosis, autism risk was lower in children vaccinated with MMR than in the nonvaccinated (OR: 0.17, 95% CI: 0.06-0.52) as well as to vaccinated with single measles vaccine (OR: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.22-0.91). The risk for vaccinated versus nonvaccinated (independent of vaccine type) was 0.28 (95% CI: 0.10-0.76). The risk connected with being vaccinated before onset of first symptoms was significantly lower only for MMR versus single vaccine (OR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.22-0.99).
Conclusions: The study provides evidence against the association of autism with either MMR or a single measles vaccine.
This study shows an apparent protective effect of MMR vaccines against autism of 83%!