Table 3.
Percentages of blood immune cells in autism under baseline conditions compared with controls.
| Cell type | Markers | No. of studies | Age range (in years) (mean ± SD) | Total sample size | % Males | Reported findings in autism compared with controls (in at least N = 3 references) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autism | Controls | Autism | Controls | Autism; Controls | ↑ | ↓ | ≈ | |||
| T cells | CD3+ | 4 | 2.5 to 9 (4.25 ± 1.70) |
2.2 to 9 (4.25 ± 2.20) |
168 | 155 | 90;82 | (65, 67, 75, 76) | ||
| T helper cells | CD4+ | 5 | 2.5 to 14.5 (5.21 ± 2.14) |
2.2 to 11 (5.50 ± 2.06) |
246 | 189 | 90;85 | (22, 65, 67, 76, 77) | ||
| T suppressor cells | CD8+ | 5 | 2.5 to 14.5 (5.21 ± 2.14) |
2.2 to 11 (5.50 ± 2.06) |
210 | 180 | 91;84 | (22, 65, 67, 76, 77) | ||
| Monocytes | CD14+, CD16+ | 5 | 2.5 to 14.5 (6.17 ± 2.58) |
2.2 to 11 (6.75 ± 1.92) |
213 | 138 | 87;82 | (22, 45, 75, 77, 78) | ||
| B cells | CD19+ | 3 | 3 to 14.5 (6.17 ± 2.58) |
3 to 11 (6.75 ± 1.92) |
126 | 87 | 90;83 | (22, 75, 78) | ||
| NK cells | CD3-CD56+, CD56+CD16+ | 3 | 3 to 56 (14.29 ± 3.09) |
1 to 56 (13.9 ± 2.66) |
189 | 96 | 83;76 | (22, 72, 79) | ||
Symbols: ↑, increased; ↓, decreased; ≈, unchanged; in autism compared with controls.
CD, cluster of differentiation; NK, natural killer.