http://jcn.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/22/11/1308

Journal of Child Neurology, Vol. 22, No. 11, 1308-1311 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0883073807307111
© 2007 SAGE Publications
Blood Levels of Mercury Are Related to Diagnosis of Autism: A Reanalysis of 
an Important Data Set

M. Catherine DeSoto, PhD
Department of Psychology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa, 
cathy.desoto@uni.edu

Robert T. Hitlan, PhD

Department of Psychology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa

The question of what is leading to the apparent increase in autism is of 
great importance. Like the link between aspirin and heart attack, even a 
small effect can have major health implications. If there is any link 
between autism and mercury, it is absolutely crucial that the first reports 
of the question are not falsely stating that no link occurs. We have 
reanalyzed the data set originally reported by Ip et al. in 2004 and have 
found that the original p value was in error and that a significant relation 
does exist between the blood levels of mercury and diagnosis of an autism 
spectrum disorder. Moreover, the hair sample analysis results offer some 
support for the idea that persons with autism may be less efficient and more 
variable at eliminating mercury from the blood.

"JOHN"  wrote in message 
news:L_GdnYrXseO_MN3anZ2dnUVZ8tuqnZ2d@bt.com...
> http://jcn.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/22/11/1308
>
> Journal of Child Neurology, Vol. 22, No. 11, 1308-1311 (2007)
> DOI: 10.1177/0883073807307111
> © 2007 SAGE Publications
> Blood Levels of Mercury Are Related to Diagnosis of Autism: A Reanalysis 
> of an Important Data Set
>
> M. Catherine DeSoto, PhD
> Department of Psychology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa, 
> cathy.desoto@uni.edu
>
> Robert T. Hitlan, PhD
>
> Department of Psychology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa
>
> The question of what is leading to the apparent increase in autism is of 
> great importance. Like the link between aspirin and heart attack, even a 
> small effect can have major health implications. If there is any link 
> between autism and mercury, it is absolutely crucial that the first 
> reports of the question are not falsely stating that no link occurs. We 
> have reanalyzed the data set originally reported by Ip et al. in 2004 and 
> have found that the original p value was in error and that a significant 
> relation does exist between the blood levels of mercury and diagnosis of 
> an autism spectrum disorder. Moreover, the hair sample analysis results 
> offer some support for the idea that persons with autism may be less 
> efficient and more variable at eliminating mercury from the blood.

Wow!

Some serious stuff here!

So I wonder why all our Pharma 'activists' in these ngs are so silent about 
this info???

"...a significant relation does exist between the blood levels of mercury 
and diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder."

Still waiting for comments...

Yuri.

Yuri Kuchinsky  -- http://www.globalserve.net/~yuku

"I have not seen autism with the Amish," said Dr. Frank Noonan, a family 
practitioner in Lancaster County, Pa., who has treated thousands of Amish 
for a quarter-century.  "You'll find all the other stuff, but we don't find 
the autism. We're right in the heart of Amish country and seeing none, and 
that's just the way it is."

In article ,
JOHN  wrote:
>http://jcn.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/22/11/1308
>
>Journal of Child Neurology, Vol. 22, No. 11, 1308-1311 (2007)
>DOI: 10.1177/0883073807307111
>© 2007 SAGE Publications
>Blood Levels of Mercury Are Related to Diagnosis of Autism: A Reanalysis of 
>an Important Data Set
>
>M. Catherine DeSoto, PhD
>Department of Psychology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa, 
>cathy.desoto@uni.edu
>
>Robert T. Hitlan, PhD
>Department of Psychology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa
>
>The question of what is leading to the apparent increase in autism is of 
>great importance. Like the link between aspirin and heart attack, even a 
>small effect can have major health implications. If there is any link 
>between autism and mercury, it is absolutely crucial that the first reports 
>of the question are not falsely stating that no link occurs. We have 
>reanalyzed the data set originally reported by Ip et al. in 2004 and have 
>found that the original p value was in error and that a significant relation 
>does exist between the blood levels of mercury and diagnosis of an autism 
>spectrum disorder. Moreover, the hair sample analysis results offer some 
>support for the idea that persons with autism may be less efficient and more 
>variable at eliminating mercury from the blood.

For a detailed discussion of this paper, see

  http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=158

(The writers of the discussion were not particularly impressed by the
statistical methodology used by DeSoto and Hitlan.  Just so you'll be
prepared.)


  -- David Wright :: alphabeta at prodigy.net 
     These are my opinions only, but they're almost always correct.
     "Saddam Hussein was a bad man, connected with some incredibly dangerous
      people:  Cheney, Rumsfeld, George Galloway."  -- Marcus Brigstocke

"David Wright"  wrote in message 
news:Gy22j.2129$Dt4.1232@newssvr19.news.prodigy.net...
> In article ,
> JOHN  wrote:
>>http://jcn.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/22/11/1308
>>
>>Journal of Child Neurology, Vol. 22, No. 11, 1308-1311 (2007)
>>DOI: 10.1177/0883073807307111
>>© 2007 SAGE Publications
>>Blood Levels of Mercury Are Related to Diagnosis of Autism: A Reanalysis 
>>of
>>an Important Data Set
>>
>>M. Catherine DeSoto, PhD
>>Department of Psychology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa,
>>cathy.desoto@uni.edu
>>
>>Robert T. Hitlan, PhD
>>Department of Psychology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa
>>
>>The question of what is leading to the apparent increase in autism is of
>>great importance. Like the link between aspirin and heart attack, even a
>>small effect can have major health implications. If there is any link
>>between autism and mercury, it is absolutely crucial that the first 
>>reports
>>of the question are not falsely stating that no link occurs. We have
>>reanalyzed the data set originally reported by Ip et al. in 2004 and have
>>found that the original p value was in error and that a significant 
>>relation
>>does exist between the blood levels of mercury and diagnosis of an autism
>>spectrum disorder. Moreover, the hair sample analysis results offer some
>>support for the idea that persons with autism may be less efficient and 
>>more
>>variable at eliminating mercury from the blood.
>
> For a detailed discussion of this paper, see
>
>  http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=158

Quote:

Aside from that, we're also skeptical of the assertion that mercury 
poisoning has "sometimes" been presumptively diagnosed as autism. A search 
at PubMed for "autism misdiagnosis" turns up 5 results. Not one of them is 
mercury poisoning. A search at PubMed for "mercury poisoning misdiagnosis" 
turns up zero results.
End Quote.

Drop the word misdiagnosis and see how many are there.
>
> (The writers of the discussion were not particularly impressed by the
> statistical methodology used by DeSoto and Hitlan.  Just so you'll be
> prepared.)
>
>
>  -- David Wright