Table 2.

Rank correlation between CARS and corticosteroids, free cortisol, vanilyl mandelic acid, and prostaglandin E₂ in different groups of autistic children (n = 45)*

Elements	rs†	P
11- Hydroxycorticosteroids vs CARS	+0.795	<0.001
Neutral 17- oxosteroids vs CARS	+0.852	<0.001
Total 17- oxosteroids vs CARS	+0.902	<0.001
17- Oxogenic steroids vs CARS	+0.856	<0.001
Total 17- hydroxycorticosteroids vs CARS	+0.799	<0.001
Free cortisol vs CARS (Phase I)	+0.899	<0.001
Free cortisol vs CARS (Phase II)	+0.801	<0.001
Free cortisol vs CARS (Phase III)	+0.787	<0.001
Vanilyl mandelic acid vs CARS	+0.834	<0.001
Prostaglandin E2 vs CARS	+0.876	<0.001

*CARS – Childhood Autism Rating Scale.

†Based on the critical values of the rank correlation (Spearman rho’s), null hypothesis of no correlation was rejected and it was concluded that the level of corticosteroids, cortisol, vanilyl mandelic acid, and prostaglandin E₂ correlated with the severity of autism.