. 2013 Sep 17;23(6):485–498. doi: 10.1007/s00787-013-0472-0

Table 4.

Salivary concentrations of steroids in autistic and control female children

Steroid	AF I N = 22	CF I N = 16	p, * Autism/control	AF II N = 13	CF II N = 18	p, * Autism/control
C21 steroids
Pregnenolone	1.783 (0.156) 1.561	1.992 (0.315) 1.642		2.256 (0.508)** 1.657	1.160 (0.137) 1.216 ^#	<0.01
Pregnenolone-C	8.483 (1.606) 5.401	4.629 (0.988) 3.535		6.301 (2.062)** 3.634	2.529 (0.323) 2.112 ^#	<0.01
20α-Dihydropregnenolone	0.614 (0.058) 0.533	0.447 (0.051) 0.426		0.679 (0.122)* 0.583	0.339 (0.036) 0.349	<0.05
20α-Dihydopregnenolone-C	3.496 (0.421) 3.365	2.153 (0.487) 1.943		3.366 (1.132) 1.698	1.555 (0.239) 1.598
P3α5α (Allopregnanolone)	0.056 (0.010) 0.048	0.028 (0.003) 0.026		0.057 (0.020)** 0.039	0.018 (0.002) 0.016	<0.01
P3α5α-C (Allopregnanolone-C)	0.685 (0.150) 0.391	0.889 (0.538) 0.284		0.286 (0.072) 0.199	0.378 (0.069) 0.304
P3β5α-C (Isopregnanolone-C)	3,077 (0.557) 2.045	2.525 (0.901) 1.364		1.402 (0.127) 1.592	3.858 (1.764)* 2.407
P3β5β-C (Epipregnanolone-C)	0.848 (0.167) 0.636	1.185 (0.456) 0.509		0.474 (0.087) 0.413	1.246 (0.312) 0.762
Cortisol	6.377 (3.508) 2.898	2.736 (0.498) 2.337		4.345 (1.042) 3.740	3.963 (0.508) 3.128
C19 steroids
DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone)	1.046 (0.112) 0.896	0.916 (0.135) 0.803		4.993 (3.267)* 1.330 ^#	0.812 (0.104) 0.898	<0.05
DHEA-C (Dehydroepiandrosterone-C)	24.404 (9.368)* 9.234	4.363 (0.987) 3.417	<0.05	575.70 (555.1) 14.562	25.301 (9.567) 7.481 ^#
DHEA-7o	1.453 (0.195) 1.257	1.600 (0.254) 1.706		2.098 (0.650) 1.555	1.687 (0.244) 1.853
Androstenediol	1.085 (0.091) 1.065	0.745 (0.083) 0.612		1.356 (0.379)** 1.042	0.608 (0.059) 0.483	<0.01
Androstendione	0.259 (0.044) 0.205	0.373 (0.126) 0.166		0.253 (0.087) 0.155	0.166 (0.039) 0.116
A3α5α (Androsterone)	0.074 0.014) 0.049	0.063 (0.014) 0.043		0.090 (0.029) 0.046	0.076 (0.026) 0.028
A3α5α-C (Androsterone-C)	5.041 (1.038)** 3.510	2.876 (0.983) 1.405	0.01	5.703 (1.294)** 4.529	1.156 (0.238) 0.926	<0.01
A3α5β (Etiocholanolone)	0.049 (0.012) 0.027	0.074 (0.019) 0.039		0.033 (0.007) 0.021	0.025 (0.006) 0.016
A3α5β-C (Etiocholanolone-C)	1.098 (0.287) 0.526	1.217 (0.792) 0.142		0.892 (0.382) 0.354	0.407 (0.135) 0.196
A3β5α (Epiandrosterone)	0.068 (0.008) 0.059	0.143 (0.049) 0.086		0.196 (0.106) 0.092	0.190 (0.123) 0.066
A3β5α-C (Epiandrosterone-C)	2.461 (0.604) 1.408	1.762 (1.146) 0.441		21.91 (18.32)* 4.107 ^#	1.992 (0.456) 1.109	<0.05
AT-7α (5-Androstene-3b,7α,17b-triol)	0.397 (0.045) 0.348	0.289 (0.049) 0.240		0.384 (0.077) 0.295	0.233 (0.027) 0.226
AT-7 β (5-Androstene-3 β,7 β,17β-triol	0.271 (0.025) 0.227	0.207 (0.032) 0.187		0.291 (0.081) 0.198	0.185 (0.020) 0.183

Steroid

AF I
N = 22

CF I
N = 16

p*, **
Autism/control

AF II
N = 13

CF II
N = 18

p*, **
Autism/control

C21 steroids

Pregnenolone

1.783 (0.156)

1.561

1.992 (0.315)

1.642

2.256 (0.508)**

1.657

1.160 (0.137)

1.216 ^#

<0.01

Pregnenolone-C

8.483 (1.606)

5.401

4.629 (0.988)

3.535

6.301 (2.062)**

3.634

2.529 (0.323)

2.112 ^#

<0.01

20α-Dihydropregnenolone

0.614 (0.058)

0.533

0.447 (0.051)

0.426

0.679 (0.122)*

0.583

0.339 (0.036)

0.349

<0.05

20α-Dihydopregnenolone-C

3.496 (0.421)

3.365

2.153 (0.487)

1.943

3.366 (1.132)

1.698

1.555 (0.239)

1.598

P3α5α (Allopregnanolone)

0.056 (0.010)

0.048

0.028 (0.003)

0.026

0.057 (0.020)**

0.039

0.018 (0.002)

0.016

<0.01

P3α5α-C (Allopregnanolone-C)

0.685 (0.150)

0.391

0.889 (0.538)

0.284

0.286 (0.072)

0.199

0.378 (0.069)

0.304

P3β5α-C (Isopregnanolone-C)

3,077 (0.557)

2.045

2.525 (0.901)

1.364

1.402 (0.127)

1.592

3.858 (1.764)*

2.407

P3β5β-C (Epipregnanolone-C)

0.848 (0.167)

0.636

1.185 (0.456)

0.509

0.474 (0.087)

0.413

1.246 (0.312)

0.762

Cortisol

6.377 (3.508)

2.898

2.736 (0.498)

2.337

4.345 (1.042)

3.740

3.963 (0.508)

3.128

C19 steroids

DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone)

1.046 (0.112)

0.896

0.916 (0.135)

0.803

4.993 (3.267)*

1.330 ^#

0.812 (0.104)

0.898

<0.05

DHEA-C (Dehydroepiandrosterone-C)

24.404 (9.368)*

9.234

4.363 (0.987)

3.417

<0.05

575.70 (555.1)

14.562

25.301 (9.567)

7.481 ^#

DHEA-7o

1.453 (0.195)

1.257

1.600 (0.254)

1.706

2.098 (0.650)

1.555

1.687 (0.244)

1.853

Androstenediol

1.085 (0.091)

1.065

0.745 (0.083)

0.612

1.356 (0.379)**

1.042

0.608 (0.059)

0.483

<0.01

Androstendione

0.259 (0.044)

0.205

0.373 (0.126)

0.166

0.253 (0.087)

0.155

0.166 (0.039)

0.116

A3α5α (Androsterone)

0.074 0.014)

0.049

0.063 (0.014)

0.043

0.090 (0.029)

0.046

0.076 (0.026)

0.028

A3α5α-C (Androsterone-C)

5.041 (1.038)**

3.510

2.876 (0.983)

1.405

0.01

5.703 (1.294)**

4.529

1.156 (0.238)

0.926

<0.01

A3α5β (Etiocholanolone)

0.049 (0.012)

0.027

0.074 (0.019)

0.039

0.033 (0.007)

0.021

0.025 (0.006)

0.016

A3α5β-C (Etiocholanolone-C)

1.098 (0.287)

0.526

1.217 (0.792)

0.142

0.892 (0.382)

0.354

0.407 (0.135)

0.196

A3β5α (Epiandrosterone)

0.068 (0.008)

0.059

0.143 (0.049)

0.086

0.196 (0.106)

0.092

0.190 (0.123)

0.066

A3β5α-C (Epiandrosterone-C)

2.461 (0.604)

1.408

1.762 (1.146)

0.441

21.91 (18.32)*

4.107 ^#

1.992 (0.456)

1.109

<0.05

AT-7α (5-Androstene-3b,7α,17b-triol)

0.397 (0.045)

0.348

0.289 (0.049)

0.240

0.384 (0.077)

0.295

0.233 (0.027)

0.226

AT-7 β (5-Androstene-3 β,7 β,17β-triol

0.271 (0.025)

0.227

0.207 (0.032)

0.187

0.291 (0.081)

0.198

0.185 (0.020)

0.183

Mean steroid concentrations (nM) ± (SEM). Italics—median concentrations (nM)

Analysis: three-way ANOVA—significant effects and interactions of Pregnenolone: illness [F(1,140) = 25.02, p < 0.01], sex [F(1,140) = 11.40, p < 0.01], and age group × illness interaction [F(1,140) = 20.91, p < 0.01], other effects were not significant (p > 0.05). Pregnenolone-C: illness [F(1,138) = 20.62, p < 0.01], sex [F(1,138) = 18.33, p < 0.01], age group × sex interaction [F(1,138) = 6.48, p = 0.01]. 20-alpha dihydropregnenolone: illness [F(1,133) = 33.63, p < 0.01], sex [F(1,133) = 69.78, p < 0.01], age group × illness interaction [F(1,133) = 11.68, p < 0.01]. 20-alpha dihydropregnenolone-C: illness [F(1,113) = 21.00, p < 0.01]. Allopregnanolone: illness [F(1,131) = 46.08, p < 0.01], sex [F(1,131) = 63.47, p < 0.01], age group [F(1,131) = 18.36, p < 0.01], age group × sex interaction [F(1,131) = 5.29, p = 0.02], age group × illness interaction [F(1,131) = 33.30, p < 0.01], age group × sex × illness triple interaction [F(1,131) = 14.38, p < 0.01]. Isopregnanolone-C: sex × illness interaction [F(1,104) = 4.4, p ≤ 0.04], age group × sex × illness triple interaction [F(1,104) = 5.1, p = 0.03]. Epipregnanolone-C: sex [F(1,139) = 100.8, p < 0.01], age group × sex × illness triple interaction [F(1,139) = 12.8, p < 0.01]. DHEA: illness [F(1,140) = 43.33, p < 0.01] and age group × illness interaction [F(1,140) = 14.78, p < 0.01]. DHEA-C: illness [F(1,139) = 36.74, p < 0.01], sex [F(1,139) = 10.43, p < 0.01], age group [F(1,139) = 21.43, p < 0.01]. DHEA-7o: illness [F(1,114) = 7.67, p < 0.01] and sex × illness interaction [F(1,114) = 5.04, p = 0.03]. Androstenediol: illness [F(1,140) = 45.37, p < 0.01], sex [F(1,140) = 4.23, p = 0.04], age group × illness interaction [F(1,140) = 7.46, p < 0.01]. Androsterone-C: sex [F(1,139) = 7.15, p < 0.01] and age group × illness interaction [F(1,139) = 4.89, p = 0.03]. Etiocholanolone: illness [F(1,111) = 5.4, p = 0.02] and age group × illness interaction [F(1,111) = 8.4, p < 0.01]. Etiocholanolone-C: illness [F(1,138) = 5.3, p = 0.02]. Epiandrosterone: illness [F(1,113) = 467.29, p < 0.01], sex [F(1,113) = 8.01, p < 0.01], sex × illness interaction [F(1,113) = 7.22, p < 0.01], age group × illness interaction [F(1,113) = 9.36, p < 0.01]. Epiandrosterone-C: illness [F(1,139) = 35.41, p < 0.01], sex [F(1,139) = 25.42, p < 0.01], age group [F(1,139) = 35.41, p < 0.01], age group × sex interaction [F(1,139) = 6.33, p = 0.01], age group × illness interaction [F(1,139) = 8.76, p < 0.01], age group × sex × illness triple interaction [F(1,139) = 6.87, p < 0.01]. 5-Androstene-3β,7α,17β-triol (AT-7alpha): illness [F(1,139) = 32.78, p < 0.01] and sex × illness interaction [F(1,139) = 5.6, p = 0.02]. 5-Androstene-3β,7β,17β-triol (AT-7beta): illness [F(1,140) = 26,25, p < 0.01]. Cortisol, allopregnanolone-C, androstenedione and androsterone: no significant effects

AF I and AF II (autistic females group I and II), CF I and CF II (control females group I and II)

* p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01 significant differences in steroid concentrations between autistic and control children within age groups

^# p < 0.05; ^## p < 0.01 significant differences between older and younger children, either autistic or control. “C” after steroid name denotes conjugate form