Chromatographic techniques coupled with mass spectrometry for the determination of organic acids in the study of autism

Chromatographic methods find application in the diagnostics and prognosis of diseases. They are used in finding new biomarkers, which may result in early medical intervention. Early diagnosis and intervention are especially important in the case of diseases of unknown etiology. One of these is autism. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severe impairment in reciprocal social interaction and communication and a pattern of repetitive or stereotyped behavior. Organic acids are intermediate metabolites of all major groups of organic cellular components and can play a role in the pathogenesis of autism. This review presents information about abnormal levels of some organic acids observed in the urine of children with autism and determination of acids with the use of chromatographic techniques. 342 literature sources on frequency (2005–2012) of the use of chromatographic methods in the determination of organic compounds in various body fluids were searched.