Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34617108›Full record

SynthesisNutrition reviews2022

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the benefits of a gluten-free diet and/or casein-free diet for children with autism spectrum disorder.

Liuliu Quan, Xinjie Xu, Yonghong Cui, Heze Han, Robert L Hendren, Lidan Zhao, Xin You

Open access · hybridAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Nutrition reviews, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 40 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
40citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
6.9field-weighted citation impact, top 2% 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

40 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 70 citations in OpenAlex.

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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

7 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Liuliu QuanDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.ORCID 0000-0003-4599-6174
Xinjie XuMedical Science Research Center, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Yonghong CuiDepartment of Blood Immunity, General Hospital of Shanxi Datong Tongmei Group, Datong, China.
Heze HanDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Robert L HendrenDepartment of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
Lidan ZhaoDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Xin YouDepartment of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College · CNMinistry of Education of the People's Republic of China · CNShanxi Datong University · CNUniversity of California, San Francisco · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

contextIt has been suggested that a gluten-free and casein-free (GFCF) diet may alleviate the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and facilitate neurodevelopment of children with ASD. Studies to date have been inconclusive.

objectiveThis study aimed to evaluate (through quantitative meta-analysis) the efficacy and safety of a GFCF diet for children with ASD. To our knowledge, this is the first time such an analysis has been carried out. DATA SOURCES: Eight electronic databases were searched, from the establishment of each database up to March 27, 2020: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase (Ovid), PsycINFO (Ovid), Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP databases. DATA EXTRACTION: Two authors independently performed the data extraction and risk-of-bias assessment. DATA ANALYSIS: A quantitative meta-analysis was performed with standard procedures by using Stata SE 15 software. Within the total of 8 studies, with 297 participants, 5 studies reported significant reductions in stereotypical behaviors [standard mean difference (SMD) = -0.41, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.68 to -0.15], and 3 studies reported improvements in cognition (SMD = -0.46, 95% CI: -0.91 to -0.01) following GFCF dietary intervention . No statistically significant changes were observed in other symptomatic categories (all P > 0.05).

conclusionThe current meta-analysis showed that a GFCF diet can reduce stereotypical behaviors and improve the cognition of children with ASD. Though most of the included studies were single-blind, the benefits of a GFCF diet that have been indicated are promising. Additional studies on a larger scale are warranted. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration no. CRD42020177619.

Indexed as

Autism Spectrum DisorderDiet, Gluten-FreeCaseinsChildHumansSingle-Blind MethodCaseinsautism spectrum disorder (ASD)dietary interventiongluten-free diet and casein-free diet (GFCF)meta-analysis

Identifiers

PMID34617108
PMCPMC8990762
OpenAlexW3202946273

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.