Balfe M, Tantam D, Campbell M
University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield HD1 3DH, UK.
Autism Res Treat. 2011;2011:325495. doi: 10.1155/2011/325495. Epub 2011 Jun 19.
A survey was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of high-functioning pervasive developmental disorder (HFPDD) in a community sample of teenagers and adults aged 13 and above in the city of Sheffield, UK. 112 possible and definite cases were found, of whom 65 (57%) had a previous diagnosis. The detected prevalence of possible or definite HFPDD was found to be 0.24 per 1000 of the population of Sheffield city aged 13 or over, but the prevalence by year of age fell from a maximum of 1.1 per 1000 in the group aged 13 to 14 years old (1 young adult in every 900 in this age group) to 0.03 per 1000 in the over 60s (1 person in every 38500 in this age group). The results of this study are preliminary and need follow-up investigation in larger studies. We suggest several explanations for the findings, including reduced willingness to participate in a study as people get older, increased ascertainment in younger people, and increased mortality. Another contributory factor might be that the prevalence of high-functioning pervasive development disorder may decline with age. This raises the possibility that AS symptoms might become subclinical in adulthood in a proportion of people with HFPDD.
在英国谢菲尔德市开展了一项调查，以研究13岁及以上青少年和成年人社区样本中高功能广泛性发育障碍（HFPDD）的患病率。共发现112例可能和确诊病例，其中65例（57%）曾有过诊断。发现谢菲尔德市13岁及以上人群中可能或确诊的HFPDD患病率为每1000人中有0.24例，但按年龄计算的患病率从13至14岁组的每1000人中有1.1例（该年龄组每900人中有1名年轻人）的最高值降至60岁以上组的每1000人中有0.03例（该年龄组每38500人中有1人）。本研究结果为初步结果，需要在更大规模的研究中进行后续调查。我们对这些发现提出了几种解释，包括随着年龄增长参与研究的意愿降低、年轻人中确诊率增加以及死亡率增加。另一个促成因素可能是高功能广泛性发育障碍的患病率可能会随着年龄增长而下降。这增加了一部分HFPDD患者的阿斯伯格综合征（AS）症状在成年期可能变为亚临床症状的可能性。
