Kids and teens with OCD who take NAC along with their medication feel better emotionally compared to those who just take the medication alone.
Scientific Claim
N-acetylcysteine (NAC) added to citalopram significantly improves emotional functioning quality of life in children and adolescents with OCD, with a mean decrease of 5.1 points in the NAC group versus a slight increase of 2.0 points in the placebo group (P<0.001).
Original Statement
“Emotional function NAC group 9.3(4.5) 4.2(4.2) 0.001 Placebo group 17.0(11.5) 19.0(7.7) 0.02”
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 improve' to reflect uncertainty.
More Accurate Statement
“N-acetylcysteine (NAC) added to citalopram may significantly improve emotional functioning quality of life in children and adolescents with OCD, with a mean decrease of 5.1 points in the NAC group versus a slight increase of 2.0 points in the placebo group (P<0.001).”
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