Equilíbrio postural em crianças com transtorno do espectro autista: uma revisão sistemática e metanálise

Abstract

Introduction: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in communication and social interaction, as well as restricted and repetitive behavior patterns. Sensory alterations may be present, and the relationship between autism and balance alterations has been discussed in the scientific literature, but with varying results. Objective: To assess postural balance in children with ASD. Method: A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The review protocol was registered with the Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) under number CRD42024517125. The search for articles was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases, followed by a manual search of the references of the studies found, with previously defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study selection was performed using the Rayyan software, and data protection information included information on authors, year of publication, country of study, sample characteristics, tests/exams used, and main results. A meta-analysis was then performed. Results: 804 articles were identified. After removing duplicates and excluding abstracts, 92 studies were analyzed in full, of which 14 were included in the qualitative review and 6 in the meta-analysis. The risk of bias assessment indicated that 78.57% of the studies had a low risk of bias. The meta-analysis showed a significant difference in the sway area of ​​children with ASD compared to neurotypical children, while no statistically significant differences were observed in the anteroposterior and mediolateral measurements. Conclusion: Children with ASD showed significant alterations in postural balance in both open and closed eyes.