Method for identifying autistic individuals amenable to digestive enzyme therapy
A method for confirming a diagnosis of autism in an individual comprises obtaining a sample of feces from an individual, determining a quantitative level of chymotrypsin present in the sample, and comparing the quantitative level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample of the person having autism to a stool sample from an individual that has a normal fecal chymotrypsin level and does not have autism and confirming a diagnosis of autism based on the measurement of the quantitative level of fecal chymoptrypsin.
1. A method of identifying a person diagnosed with autism as being a candidate for treatment with digestive enzymes, comprising:
obtaining a stool sample from the person diagnosed with autism;
measuring a level of fecal chymotrypsin from the stool sample;
comparing the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the person to a normal level of fecal chymotrypsin; and
identifying that the person is a candidate for treatment with digestive enzymes if the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the person is less than the normal level of fecal chymotrypsin.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the normal level of fecal chymotrypsin is approximately 8.4 U/gram.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the person is considered subnormal if the level is below 8.4 U/gram.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the person is indicative of abnormal protein digestion if the level is below 8.4 U/gram.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the person has abnormal protein digestion.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the person indicates a lack of trypsin activity if the level is below 8.4 U/gram.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the person indicates a lack of conversion of chymotrypsinogen to chymotrypsin if the level is below 8.4 U/gram.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the person indicates a lack of amino acids required for growth and development if the level is below 8.4 U/gram.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the person is considered abnormal if the level is 4.2 U/gram and below.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the person is indicative of abnormal protein digestion if the level is 4.2 U/gram and below.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the person indicates a lack of trypsin activity if the level is 4.2 U/gram and below.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the person indicates a lack of conversion of chymotrypsinogen to chymotrypsin if the level is 4.2 U/gram and below.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the person indicates a lack of amino acids required for growth and development if the level is 4.2 U/gram and below.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the person exhibits a plurality of symptoms associated with autism.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the person is measured by photospectrometry.
16. A method of identifying a child diagnosed with autism as being a candidate for treatment with digestive enzymes, comprising:
obtaining a stool sample from the child diagnosed with autism;
measuring a level of fecal chymotrypsin from the stool sample;
comparing the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the child to a reference value of approximately 8.4 U/gram; and
identifying that the child is a candidate for treatment with digestive enzymes if the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the child is less than the reference value is lower than.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the child is considered subnormal if the level is below 8.4 U/gram.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the child is indicative of abnormal protein digestion if the level is below 8.4 U/gram.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the child has abnormal protein digestion.
20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the child indicates a lack of trypsin activity if the level is below 8.4 U/gram.
21. The method of claim 16 wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the child indicates a lack of conversion of chymotrypsinogen to chymotrypsin if the level is below 8.4 U/gram.
22. The method of claim 16 wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the child indicates a lack of amino acids required for growth and development if the level is below 8.4 U/gram.
23. The method of claim 16 , wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the child is considered abnormal if the level is 4.2 U/gram and below.
24. The method of claim 16 , wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the child is indicative of abnormal protein digestion if the level is 4.2 U/gram and below.
25. The method of claim 16 wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the child indicates a lack of trypsin activity if the level is 4.2 U/gram and below.
26. The method of claim 16 wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the child indicates a lack of conversion of chymotrypsinogen to chymotrypsin if the level is 4.2 U/gram and below.
27. The method of claim 16 , wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the child indicates a lack of amino acids required for growth and development if the level is 4.2 U/gram and below.
28. The method of claim 16 , wherein the child exhibits a plurality of symptoms associated with autism.
29. The method of claim 16 , wherein the level of fecal chymotrypsin in the stool sample from the child is measured by photospectrometry.