Prebiotic supplement use, the gut microbiome and behaviour change in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

This dataset underpins Jacqui Palmer's PhD thesis, Effects of a prebiotic supplement on child behaviour and parental quality of life in autism spectrum disorder. The pilot double-blind randomised controlled trial investigated whether using prebiotics to modify the gut bacteria of children with autism spectrum disorder could increase parental quality of life (QoL) by improving child stress, meal-time behaviour, sleep and gastrointestinal symptoms.

Methods: Children aged 4-10 years with ASD participated in a 6-week double-blind pilot RCT and randomised to take 2.4g of prebiotic prebiotic-galactooligosaccharides (GOS) or placebo daily (N=38). Standardised nutrition counselling was provided to both groups. Changes in gut bacteria, basal cortisol and behaviours of interest were measured. Gut bacteria were measured via stool samples using 16SrRNA sequencing, cortisol via saliva (using ELISA), with behaviour, GI symptoms and QoL assessed via parent-completed questionnaires at baseline and follow-up.

The cleaned and de-identified data present two time points: baseline and six weeks post baseline for intervention and control groups.

Data variables include:

Participant demographics: child sex, age at data collection, ethnicity, height, weight, mode of delivery, gestational age, breastfeeding status, duration of breastfeeding, age at introduction to solids, co-existing medical conditions, level of ASD, medications, antibiotic use, parent age, gender, relationship to child, other child with ASD, single parent status, employment, education level, family income, NDIS funding, other allowance
Eating behaviour: Total score on the Brief Autism Mealtime Behaviour Index (BAMBI)
Social behaviour: T-scores on the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2)
GI symptoms: 6-Gastrointestinal Severity Index (6-GSI) – scores for each symptom and total severity score; 7-day Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS): Stool output - mean weekly frequency and mean daily stool type. Percentage of normal stools per week
Quality of Life, Quality of Life Autism (QoLA), scores for part A, part B, and total score
Sleep: average sleep onset latency, total sleep duration, and number of night wakings over seven days
Cortisol: Cortisol concentration and cortisol awakening response
Microbiome: Abundance of bifidobacteria, Clostridium and Lactobacillus, alpha diversity, beta diversity
Dietary intake: Mean intake over three days of energy, protein, total fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugars, dietary fibre, b vitamins, sodium, potassium, iron, zinc; serves of grains, fruit, vegetables, meat/alternatives, dairy, oils, solid fat

本数据集为Jacqui Palmer博士论文《益生菌补充剂对自闭症谱系障碍儿童行为及父母生活质量影响》的研究基础。该研究采用了一项双盲随机对照试验的试点研究方法，旨在探究通过使用益生菌来调节自闭症谱系障碍儿童的肠道菌群，是否能够通过改善儿童的压力、进餐行为、睡眠及胃肠道症状，从而提升父母的生活质量（QoL）。

研究方法：4-10岁的自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）儿童参与了为期6周的双盲试点随机对照试验，并被随机分配至每日服用2.4克益生菌低聚半乳糖（GOS）或安慰剂（N=38）的组别。两组均接受了标准化的营养咨询。研究人员通过粪便样本进行16SrRNA测序来测量肠道菌群变化，通过唾液样本（使用ELISA）测量皮质醇水平，并通过家长完成的基础和随访问卷来评估行为、胃肠道症状和生活质量。

清洗和去识别的数据展示了两个时间点：干预组和对照组的基础数据以及基础后六周的数据。

数据变量包括：

* 参与者人口统计学：儿童性别、数据收集时的年龄、种族、身高、体重、分娩方式、孕周、母乳喂养状况、母乳喂养时长、固体食物引入年龄、共存医疗状况、ASD水平、药物、抗生素使用、父母年龄、性别、与儿童的关系、其他自闭症儿童、单亲状态、就业状况、教育水平、家庭收入、NDIS资助、其他津贴
* 进食行为：简短自闭症进餐行为指数（BAMBI）的总分
* 社会行为：社会反应量表（SRS-2）的T分数
* 胃肠道症状：6项胃肠道严重程度指数（6-GSI）及各症状和总严重程度得分；7日布里斯顿粪便形状量表（BSFS）：粪便输出量——平均每周频率和平均每日粪便类型。每周正常粪便百分比
* 生活质量，自闭症生活质量（QoLA），A部分、B部分和总分
* 睡眠：七天内平均入睡潜伏期、总睡眠时长以及夜间醒来的次数
* 皮质醇：皮质醇浓度和皮质醇觉醒反应
* 微生物组：双歧杆菌、梭菌和乳杆菌的丰度、α多样性、β多样性
* 饮食摄入：三天内能量、蛋白质、总脂肪、饱和脂肪、碳水化合物、糖、膳食纤维、B族维生素、钠、钾、铁、锌的平均摄入量；谷物、水果、蔬菜、肉类/替代品、乳制品、油脂、固体脂肪的份量