Equity, acceptability and feasibility of using polyunsaturated fatty acids in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: a rapid systematic review

Table 2 Discontinuation due to any reasons in RCTs comparing PUFAs vs placebo: summary of findings

Should polyunsaturated fatty acids versus placebo be used for the treatment of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder?
Patient or population: children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder Setting: outpatients Intervention: polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) Comparison: placebo
Outcomes	Anticipated absolute effects^* (95% CI)		Relative effect(95% CI)	№ of participants (studies)	Certainty of the evidence(GRADE)	Comments
Outcomes	Risk with placebo	Risk with PUFAs	Relative effect(95% CI)	№ of participants (studies)	Certainty of the evidence(GRADE)	Comments
Discontinuation due to any cause	213 per 1.000	226 per 1.000(119 to 432)	RR 1.06(0.56 to 2.03)	315 (7 RCTs) [20,21,22,23,24,25, 27]	⨁⨁◯◯ LOW ^a	Polyunsaturated fatty acids could have no effect on the risk of discontinuation due to any cause.

*The risk in the intervention group (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI).
CI: Confidence interval; RR: Risk ratio; SMD: Standardised mean difference
GRADE Working Group grades of evidence
High certainty: We are very confident that the true effect lies close to that of the estimate of the effect
Moderate certainty: We are moderately confident in the effect estimate: The true effect is likely to be close to the estimate of the effect, but there is a possibility that it is substantially different
Low certainty: Our confidence in the effect estimate is limited: The true effect may be substantially different from the estimate of the effect
Very low certainty: We have very little confidence in the effect estimate: The true effect is likely to be substantially different from the estimate of effect
^aDowngraded of two levels because optimal information size (OIS) not met and there is a wide 95%CI, which includes no effect

ISSN: 1477-7525