Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent condition that accounts for considerable suffering and lost productivity. Epidemiological evidence supports a potential role for dietary and/or supplemental omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids in the management of depression. We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that assessed the efficacy and safety of n-3 fatty acids for treating depression. We searched the electronic databases PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Embase, and AMED and screened recent existing reviews to identify English-language reports of randomized placebo-controlled or head-to-head trials testing the efficacy and safety of n-3 fatty acids as a monotherapy or adjunctive therapy to treat adults with MDD. Standard systematic review methods were used to screen the literature against a predetermined set of inclusion and exclusion criteria, abstract the study-level details and outcomes of interest, and assess the methodological quality of the studies. Effectiveness outcomes were pooled using the Hartung-Knapp-Sidik- Jonkman method for random-effects models. The quality of evidence for each conclusion was assessed using the GRADE approach.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2015
- Accession Number
- ADA626187
Entities
People
- Alicia R. Maher
- Brett Ewing
- Christine A. Vaughan
- Claire E. O'hanlon
- Jennifer Sloan
- Marika Booth
- Roberta M. Shanman
- Susanne Hempel
- Sydne Newberry
- Whitney Dudley
Organizations
- RAND Corporation