Evidence map›Paper›PMID 21961774›Full record

SynthesisJournal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry2011

Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation for the treatment of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptomatology: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Michael H Bloch, Ahmad Qawasmi

2 registry-linked trialsOpen access · greenAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 138 papers, 12 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
138citing papers in PubMed, 12 pooled it
15.1field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT01856829 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2013, after this paper: background citation

Effect of Omega-3 Phospholipids on Attentional Abilities and Perceptual-cognitive Training

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversité de MontréalRan2013 to 2014Enrolled80ConditionsCognition - OtherArmsOmega-3, Placebo
NCT02908932 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2016, after this paper: background citation

Ranger Resilience and Improved Performance on Phospholipid Bound Omega-3's

TypeinterventionalSponsorMedical University of South CarolinaRan2016 to 2018Enrolled555ConditionsNutrition, Fatty Acids, Omega-3, Cognition, Resilience, PsychologicalArmsPhospholipid-bound omega-3 supplement, Placebo supplement
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

138 citing papers in PubMed, 12 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 403 citations in OpenAlex.

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  9. Oxidative Stress and ADHD: A Meta-Analysis.Journal of attention disorders · 2015
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78 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Michael H BlochYale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. michael.bloch@yale.edu
Ahmad Qawasmi
Al-Quds University · PSYale University · US

Funding

YALE UNIVERSITY CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE AWARD PROGRAMUL1RR024139 · NCRR · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI SHERWIN, ROBERT S · 2006 to 2011
$56.8M
Research Training for Medical Students & Physician-Scientists in Child PsychiatryR25MH077823 · NIMH · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI ANDRES S MARTIN · 2006 to 2026
$4.0M
Longitudinal Structural MRI Study of Adulthood Outcome in Tourette SyndromeK23MH091240 · NIMH · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI BLOCH, MICHAEL H · 2010 to 2014
$902k
NCRR NIH HHS UL1 RR024139NIMH NIH HHS 1K23MH091240-01NIMH NIH HHS K23 MH091240NIMH NIH HHS R25 MH077823
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveSeveral studies have demonstrated differences in omega-3 fatty acid composition in plasma and in erythrocyte membranes in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared with unaffected controls. Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties and can alter central nervous system cell membrane fluidity and phospholipid composition. Cell membrane fluidity can alter serotonin and dopamine neurotransmission. The goal of this meta-analysis was to examine the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in children with ADHD.

methodPubMed was searched for randomized placebo-controlled trials examining omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in children with ADHD symptomatology. The primary outcome measurement was standardized mean difference in rating scales of ADHD severity. Secondary analyses were conducted to determine the effects of dosing of different omega-3 fatty acids in supplements.

resultsTen trials involving 699 children were included in this meta-analysis. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation demonstrated a small but significant effect in improving ADHD symptoms. Eicosapentaenoic acid dose within supplements was significantly correlated with supplement efficacy. No evidence of publication bias or heterogeneity between trials was found.

conclusionOmega-3 fatty acid supplementation, particularly with higher doses of eicosapentaenoic acid, was modestly effective in the treatment of ADHD. The relative efficacy of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation was modest compared with currently available pharmacotherapies for ADHD such as psychostimulants, atomoxetine, or α(2) agonists. However, given its relatively benign side-effect profile and evidence of modest efficacy, it may be reasonable to use omega-3 fatty supplementation to augment traditional pharmacologic interventions or for families who decline other psychopharmacologic options.

Indexed as

Attention Deficit Disorder with HyperactivityChildEicosapentaenoic AcidFatty Acids, Omega-3HumansEicosapentaenoic AcidFatty Acids, Omega-3

Identifiers

PMID21961774
PMCPMC3625948
OpenAlexW2016086054

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.