Pharmacological and dietary-supplement treatments for autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Study answer

What this study found

Some medications could improve core symptom domains in ASD. In children/adolescents, aripiprazole, bumetanide, atomoxetine, and risperidone improved at least one core symptom domain (social-communication difficulties, repetitive behaviors, or overall core symptoms). In adults, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, oxytocin, and risperidone improved repetitive behaviors. Among dietary supplements, omega-3 fatty acids showed potential small benefits for social-communication difficulties in children/adolescents (low-quality evidence); melatonin reduced caregiver stress but did not improve core symptoms.…

Study & population

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of pharmacological and dietary-supplement interventions for ASD with minimum seven days of treatment.

Key limitation

Small, short-duration trials with heterogeneous measures and populations; risk of bias and reporting bias; limited data in adults; transitivity and network coherence concerns; most evidence relates to associated symptoms rather than core ASD features; safety data incomplete for several interventions.

View full study detailsView sourceOpen PDF

Original abstract