Psychiatric comorbidities are shown to be very prevalent in patients diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), up high to 53% for mood, 50% anxiety and 43% for ADHD disorders in an European cohort of adults with HFA. Using a new approach, our study proposes to explore aspects of comorbidities in the largest French cohort of HFA adults (C0733/InfoR) by implying qualitative and quantitative clinical tools.

To explore: (1) the prevalence rates of psychiatric comorbidities; (2) the interplay between comorbidities and the ASD symptoms.

Diagnosis was made according to DSM 5 criteria. Dimensional evaluation used Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), Systemizing Quotient (SQ) and Empathy Quotient (EQ). We used T-test, Mann–Whitney test and linear regression models.

We included 103 patients (mean age 29.3, sex ratio M/F: 3.4:1). Lifetime prevalence rates of 53.5% for depressive disorder 73.5% for anxiety disorders and 37.5% for ADHD were found. Subjects with psychotic co-morbid symptoms had a more severe social deficit (SRS score 66.2 vs 77.9 P < 0.05); patients with ADHD, lower cognition (mean IQ total 107.7 vs 99.0 P < 0.05). SQs (P < 0.05) were significantly higher in patients with co-morbid psychosis, dysthymia, suicide attempts, and depressive disorders and directly correlated with age (β = 0.35, P < 0.05). SQ and EQ were inversely correlated.

The results reproduce the high prevalence of comorbidities in other studies and explore its association with social functioning and cognition. Identification of associated psychiatric conditions in subjects with HFA is therefore a crucial clinical issue potentially guiding the treatment.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.