Brief report: validity of Finnish registry-based diagnoses of autism with the ADI-R

• Published in: Acta Paediatrica 2010-09, Vol.99 (9), p.1425-1428
• Main Authors: Lampi, KM, Sourander, A, Gissler, M, Niemelä, S, Rehnström, K, Pulkkinen, E, Peltonen, L, Von Wendt, L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ADI-R; Asperger Syndrome - diagnosis; Asperger Syndrome - epidemiology; Autism; Autistic Disorder - diagnosis; Autistic Disorder - epidemiology; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Child; Child clinical studies; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive - diagnosis; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive - epidemiology; Developmental disorders; Finland; General aspects; Humans; Infantile autism; Interview, Psychological; Medical sciences; Pilot Projects; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Registries - statistics & numerical data; Registry-based diagnoses; Reproducibility of Results; Validity
• ISSN: 0803-5253; 1651-2227
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2010.01835.x

Aims:  The aim of the study was to explore the validity of registry‐based diagnoses of autism in Finland using the Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised (ADI‐R). This study was designed for the Finnish Prenatal Study of Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders (FIPS‐A), an ongoing research project where registry‐based diagnoses will be used for epidemiological studies. Methods:  In this small pilot study, a clinical sample of 95 subjects diagnosed with childhood autism or pervasive developmental disorder/pervasive developmental disorder – not otherwise specified (PDD/PDD‐NOS) or Asperger′s syndrome according to the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register (FHDR) was gathered nationwide. A small control group consisting of siblings without any registered diagnoses of those being examined was also included in the study. Diagnoses were further re‐evaluated by interviewing parents with the ADI‐R. Results:  The mean scores of autistic subjects clearly exceeded cut‐off limits for autism on all three ADI‐R domains and 96% of the subjects with registered diagnosis of childhood autism fulfilled the criteria based on the instrument as well. Conclusion:  These results suggest that the validity of Finnish registry‐based diagnoses of childhood autism can be considered good. Our findings lay important groundwork for further population‐ based studies of the aetiology of autism.