Adding NAC to OCD medication doesn't seem to help kids and teens with OCD move around or do physical activities better than just taking the medication alone.
Scientific Claim
N-acetylcysteine (NAC) added to citalopram does not significantly improve physical functioning quality of life in children and adolescents with OCD compared to placebo, with a mean decrease of 4.3 points in the NAC group versus no significant change in the placebo group (P=0.9).
Original Statement
“Physical function NAC group 11.1(5.1) 6.8(5.2) 0.005 Placebo group 10.4(7.0) 9.9(98.1) 0.9”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
probability
Can suggest probability/likelihood
Assessment Explanation
The study design supports causal inference, but the small sample size and high dropout rate limit precision. The study states 'improved' but the evidence strength warrants 'may not significantly improve' to reflect uncertainty.
More Accurate Statement
“N-acetylcysteine (NAC) added to citalopram may not significantly improve physical functioning quality of life in children and adolescents with OCD compared to placebo, with a mean decrease of 4.3 points in the NAC group versus no significant change in the placebo group (P=0.9).”
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Some psychometric properties of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ Version 4.0 Generic Core Scales (PedsQLTM) in the general Serbian population