Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24839884›Full record

Trial reportJournal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry2014

Internet-based, randomized, controlled trial of omega-3 fatty acids for hyperactivity in autism.

Stephen Bent, Robert L Hendren, Tara Zandi, Kiely Law, Jae-Eun Choi, Felicia Widjaja, Luther Kalb, Jay Nestle, Paul Law

Registry-linked trialOpen access · greenAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT01694667 (Effectiveness of Omega-3 Fatty Acids for the Reduction of Hyperactivity in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder), which is not on this map. Cited by 45 papers, 14 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
45citing papers in PubMed, 14 pooled it
4.4field-weighted citation impact, top 5% 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.

NCT01694667 phase2completednot on this map

Effectiveness of Omega-3 Fatty Acids for the Reduction of Hyperactivity in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

TypeinterventionalSponsorHugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger, Inc.Ran2012 to 2013Enrolled57ConditionsAutism Spectrum Disorders, HyperactivityArmsOmega-3 Fatty Acids, Placebo
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

45 citing papers in PubMed, 14 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 108 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  3. Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Autism - A Systematic Review.Journal of autism and developmental disorders · 2025
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  4. Nutraceuticals in Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024
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  9. AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW ABOUT NUTRITIONAL INTERVENTIONS.Revista paulista de pediatria : orgao oficial da Sociedade de Pediatria de Sao Paulo · 2020
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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

9 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Stephen BentUniversity of California, San Francisco. Electronic address: Stephen.Bent@ucsf.edu.
Robert L HendrenUniversity of California, San Francisco.
Tara ZandiKennedy Krieger Institute.
Kiely LawKennedy Krieger Institute.
Jae-Eun ChoiUniversity of California, San Francisco.
Felicia WidjajaUniversity of California, San Francisco.
Luther KalbKennedy Krieger Institute.
Jay NestleKennedy Krieger Institute.
Paul LawKennedy Krieger Institute.
Kennedy Krieger Institute · USUniversity of California, San Francisco · US

Funding

UCSF CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE INSTITUTEUL1RR024131 · NCRR · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI JOHNSTON, S. CLAIBORNE · 2006 to 2011
$111.2M
Engaging University of California Stakeholders for Biorespository ResearchUL1TR000004 · NCATS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI GRANDIS, JENNIFER RUBIN · 2012 to 2015
$78.0M
CHILD MH SERVICES AND SERVICE SYSTEM RESEARCHT32MH019545 · NIMH · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI LEAF, PHILIP J · 1992 to 2017
$6.3M
NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR000004NCRR NIH HHS UL1 RR024131NIMH NIH HHS T32 MH019545
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivePreliminary evidence suggests that omega-3 fatty acids may reduce hyperactivity in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We sought to examine the feasibility of a novel, Internet-based clinical trial design to evaluate the efficacy of this supplement.

methodE-mail invitations were sent to parents of children aged 5 to 8 years enrolled in the Interactive Autism Network. All study procedures, including screening, informed consent, and collection of outcome measures took place over the Internet. The primary outcome measures were parent- and teacher-rated changes in hyperactivity on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC-H).

resultsDuring the 6-week recruitment period, 57 children from 28 states satisfied all eligibility criteria and were randomly assigned to 1.3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids or an identical placebo daily for 6 weeks. Outcome assessments were obtained from all 57 participants and 57 teachers, and the study was completed in 3 months. Children in the omega-3 fatty acid group had a greater reduction in hyperactivity (-5.3 points) compared to the placebo group (-2.6 points), but the difference was not statistically significant (1.9-point greater improvement in the omega-3 group, 95% CI = -2.2 to 5.2). Adverse events were rare and not associated with omega-3 fatty acids. Participant feedback was positive.

conclusionInternet-based, randomized controlled trials of therapies in children with ASD are feasible and may lead to marked reductions in the time and cost of completing trials. A larger sample size is required to definitively determine the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids. Clinical trial registration information-Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Hyperactivity Treatment in Autism Spectrum Disorder; http://clinicaltrials.gov; NCT01694667.

Indexed as

ChildChild Development Disorders, PervasiveChild, PreschoolDouble-Blind MethodFatty Acids, Omega-3FemaleHumansHyperkinesisInternetMaleTreatment OutcomeFatty Acids, Omega-3alternative medicineautismhyperactivitynutritional supplement

Identifiers

PMID24839884
PMCPMC4076340
OpenAlexW1976498610

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
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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.