Al-Mamari Watfa, Idris Ahmed B, Al Aamri Hafsa, Al Khatri Hanan, Al Sinani Aisha, Al Kharusi Rahil, Mirghani Mohammed, Al-Jabri Muna, Jalees Saquib, Al-Hadhrami Sumaiya, Islam M, Fombonne Eric
Developmental Pediatric Unit, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
J Autism Dev Disord. 2025 Feb 28. doi: 10.1007/s10803-025-06770-7.
A systematic screening program for detecting autism at 18 months was progressively implemented in Oman since 2017. The primary objective of this study was to examine whether systematic use of M-CHAT-R/F screening is associated with lowering the age at ASD diagnosis, controlling for other predictors of age at ASD diagnosis. The study is based on a cross-sectional retrospective review of data extracted from electronic records of 756 children diagnosed with ASD between 1st January 2017 and 30th June 2023. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression models were used for data analysis. Of 756 children (mean age: 7.3 years, age range: 1.8-14 years; 77.5% males) included in this study, 98 (13%) underwent M-CHAT-R/F screening. The average age at ASD diagnosis was 60.7 months (95% CI: 58.8, 62.7 months). A significantly lower age at ASD diagnosis was observed among children who underwent M-CHAT-R/F screening compared to those who did not (39.4 vs. 63.8 months; p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis indicates that children who were screened with M-CHAT-R/F received a diagnosis of ASD at an average age 20% earlier than children who were not screened with M-CHAT-R/F (adjOR = 0.80; 95% CI: 0.73, 0.88, p < 0.001). The population-based M-CHAT-R/F screening program appears to have reduced the average age of diagnosis of ASD among children. The findings may translate into earlier access to intervention and possibly improved long-term outcomes for children with ASD.
自2017年以来，阿曼逐步实施了一项针对18个月大儿童的自闭症系统筛查计划。本研究的主要目的是检验系统使用M-CHAT-R/F筛查是否与降低自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）诊断年龄相关，并控制ASD诊断年龄的其他预测因素。该研究基于对2017年1月1日至2023年6月30日期间诊断为ASD的756名儿童电子记录中提取的数据进行的横断面回顾性分析。描述性统计和多元线性回归模型用于数据分析。本研究纳入的756名儿童（平均年龄：7.3岁，年龄范围：1.8 - 14岁；77.5%为男性）中，98名（13%）接受了M-CHAT-R/F筛查。ASD诊断的平均年龄为60.7个月（95%置信区间：58.8，62.7个月）。与未接受M-CHAT-R/F筛查的儿童相比，接受该筛查的儿童ASD诊断年龄显著更低（39.4个月对63.8个月；p < 0.001）。多元回归分析表明，接受M-CHAT-R/F筛查的儿童被诊断为ASD的平均年龄比未接受该筛查的儿童早20%（调整后比值比 = 0.80；95%置信区间：0.73，0.88，p < 0.001）。基于人群的M-CHAT-R/F筛查计划似乎降低了儿童ASD诊断的平均年龄。这些发现可能转化为自闭症谱系障碍儿童更早获得干预，并可能改善其长期预后。
