Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24805797›Full record

SynthesisPloS one2014

Role of omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of depressive disorders: a comprehensive meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Giuseppe Grosso, Andrzej Pajak, Stefano Marventano, Sabrina Castellano, Fabio Galvano, Claudio Bucolo, Filippo Drago, Filippo Caraci

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PloS one, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 207 papers, 21 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
207citing papers in PubMed, 21 pooled it
38.5field-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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

207 citing papers in PubMed, 21 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 441 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Nutraceuticals in Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024
    Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Diet and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE): From Supplementation to Intervention.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022
    Pooled it
  7. Omega-3 fatty acids for depression in adults.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2021
    Pooled it
  8. Pooled it
  9. Pooled it
  10. Effects of Omega 3 Fatty Acids on Main Dimensions of Psychopathology.International journal of molecular sciences · 2020
    Pooled it
  11. Pooled it
  12. Pooled it
  13. Pooled it
  14. Pooled it
  15. Pooled it
  16. Guideline
  17. Pooled it
  18. Efficacy of omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids in the treatment of depression.The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science · 2016
    Pooled it
  19. Pooled it
  20. Pooled it

147 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Giuseppe GrossoDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Biomedicine, Section of Pharmacology and Biochemistry, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
Andrzej PajakDepartment of Epidemiology and Population Studies, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland.
Stefano MarventanoDepartment "G.F. Ingrassia", Section of Hygiene and Public Health, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
Sabrina CastellanoDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Biomedicine, Section of Pharmacology and Biochemistry, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
Fabio GalvanoDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Biomedicine, Section of Pharmacology and Biochemistry, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
Claudio BucoloDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Biomedicine, Section of Pharmacology and Biochemistry, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
Filippo DragoDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Biomedicine, Section of Pharmacology and Biochemistry, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
Filippo CaraciDepartment of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; IRCCS Associazione Oasi Maria S.S. - Institute for Research on Mental Retardation and Brain Aging, Troina, Enna, Italy.
University of Catania · ITJagiellonian University · PLOasi Maria SS · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDespite omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) supplementation in depressed patients have been suggested to improve depressive symptomatology, previous findings are not univocal.

objectivesTo conduct an updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of omega-3 PUFA treatment of depressive disorders, taking into account the clinical differences among patients included in the studies.

methodsA search on MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycInfo, and the Cochrane Database of RCTs using omega-3 PUFA on patients with depressive symptoms published up to August 2013 was performed. Standardized mean difference in clinical measure of depression severity was primary outcome. Type of omega-3 used (particularly eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) and omega-3 as mono- or adjuvant therapy was also examined. Meta-regression analyses assessed the effects of study size, baseline depression severity, trial duration, dose of omega-3, and age of patients.

resultsMeta-analysis of 11 and 8 trials conducted respectively on patients with a DSM-defined diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) and patients with depressive symptomatology but no diagnosis of MDD demonstrated significant clinical benefit of omega-3 PUFA treatment compared to placebo (standardized difference in random-effects model 0.56 SD [95% CI: 0.20, 0.92] and 0.22 SD [95% CI: 0.01, 0.43], respectively; pooled analysis was 0.38 SD [95% CI: 0.18, 0.59]). Use of mainly EPA within the preparation, rather than DHA, influenced final clinical efficacy. Significant clinical efficacy had the use of omega-3 PUFA as adjuvant rather than mono-therapy. No relation between efficacy and study size, baseline depression severity, trial duration, age of patients, and study quality was found. Omega-3 PUFA resulted effective in RCTs on patients with bipolar disorder, whereas no evidence was found for those exploring their efficacy on depressive symptoms in young populations, perinatal depression, primary disease other than depression and healthy subjects.

conclusionsThe use of omega-3 PUFA is effective in patients with diagnosis of MDD and on depressive patients without diagnosis of MDD.

Indexed as

Depressive DisorderDietary SupplementsDocosahexaenoic AcidsEicosapentaenoic AcidFatty Acids, Omega-3FemaleHumansMEDLINEPregnancyRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicDocosahexaenoic AcidsEicosapentaenoic AcidFatty Acids, Omega-3

Identifiers

PMID24805797
PMCPMC4013121
OpenAlexW2047790936

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.