Perspective Biological Markers for Autism Spectrum Disorders: Advantages of the Use of Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves in Evaluating Marker Sensitivity and Specificity

Table 3

Fatty acids and phospholipids. AUC: Area Under the Curve; ASD: Autistic Spectrum Disorder; HC: healthy controls; SD: standard deviation; AA: arachidonic acid; DHA: docosahexaenoic acid; EPA: eicosapentaenoic acid.

Lab test	Increase	Decrease	values	Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC)				Diagnosis	Age (Y): range (mean ± SD)	Number; M/F	Control group	Country	Biologic sample	Technique	Reference
				Cut-off values	Sensitivity	Specificity	AUC
AA/DHA			<0.001	0.66	100.0%	84.6%	0.977							Gas chromatography
(EPA)/AA			<0.001	1.07	93.8%	84.6%	0.937							Gas chromatography
Phosphatidyl-serine (mmol/L)			<0.001	0.068	100.0%	93.7%	0.998							HPLC
Phosphatidylcholine (mmol/L)			<0.001	1.619	80.0%	75.0%	0.825							HPLC
Linoleic acid/AA			0.03	0.69	60.0%	84.6%	0.592	Autism	4–12	25	HC	Saudi Arabia	Plasma	Gas chromatography	[42]
Alpha-linolenic acid/DHA			0.004	0.57	90.9%	61.5%	0.713							Gas chromatography
EPA/DHA			ns	0.39	100.0%	46.2%	0.658							Gas chromatography
Phosphatidylethanolamine; (mmol/L)			0.002	0.037	80.0%	75.0%	0.806							HPLC
Valeric acid (mmol/L)			<0.001	0.196	100%	100%	1.000
Acetic acid			<0.001	0.684	92.3%	92.3%	0.985
Lauric acid			<0.001	1.214	100%	100%	1.000	Autism	4–12	26	HC	Saudi Arabia; ASD	Plasma	Gas chromatography	[43]
Arachidonic acid			<0.001	0.271	100%	100%	1.000
Oleic acid			<0.001	0.463	100%	100%	1.000