| Abstrakt: |
Background/objectives: The evidence on the effects of polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in the treatment of symptoms of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) remains limited. In this paper, we summarize the effects reported in interventional studies that use omega-3 supplementation in children and adolescents with ASD. We searched seven databases and found 13 eligible controlled trials that use omega-3 supplementation in children and adolescents with ASD. Data extraction: We collected details on study design, intervention time, supplement dosage, and the autism assessment scale. Meta-analyses and subgroup analysis were conducted according to the autism symptoms. Omega-3 and omega-6 supplementation improved ASD symptoms according to the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (standard mean difference - SMD = -0.13; CI 95% = -0.34, -0.02). However, using subgroup analysis, we observed no efficacy in terms of improvements in hyperactivity (SMD = -0.03; CI 95%: -0.43, 0.36), irritability (SMD = -0.18; CI 95%: -0.51, 0.15), stereotypy (SMD = -0.03; CI 95%: -0.43, 0.36), inappropriate speech (SMD = -0.68; CI 95%: -1.49, 0.14), lethargy (SMD = -0.22; CI 95%: -0.58, 0.14), and social function (SMD = -0.71; IC 95%: -1.56, 0.14). W-3 and w-6 supplementation also showed no efficacy according to the Social Responsiveness Scale (SMD = 0.08; CI 95%: -0.23, 0.39). The adverse effects were classified as mild and equally distributed between the placebo and intervention groups. Despite w-3 and w-6 supplementation showing minimal beneficial effects in the treatment of autism, the subgroup analyses indicated that there is a lack of evidence on the beneficial role of w-3 and w-6 in treating ASD. Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO number CRD42020146116. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
