Table 5. Summary of the scores for assessing pruritus.
The table presents the summary descriptive statistics for the scores used to assess pruritus. The scores varied across the studies as described in the Results section. Some studies reported the scores for assessing the severity of the pruritus, while others reported the results of subscales of the scores assessing the distribution and frequency of pruritus as well as awakening from sleep because of itching. The table provides the results for the scales of severity and the other subscales as reported by the studies. The numbers represent the mean and standard deviation of the score (one study reported the 95% confidence interval instead of the standard deviation). The scores do not provide a unit of measurement (these are the mean and standard deviation for the sum of points from the points assigned to each item in the scale). values are presented as mean ± standard deviation unless reported otherwise.
CI: confidence interval; NR: not recorded; OO: olive oil; SO: safflower oil
| Score items and studies | Baseline | Post-intervention | Change | |||
| Omega-3 | Control | Omega-3 | Control | Omega-3 | Control | |
| Severity of pruritus | ||||||
| Peck et al. [12,13] | 3.25 ± 1.58 | OO: 2.33 ± 1.32; SO: 2.87 ± 1.25 | 1.63 ± 1.41 | OO: 1.56 ± l.33; SO: 3.0 ± 1.77 | -1.63 ± 1.77 | -0.78 ± 0.97; 0.13 ± 1.64 |
| Begum et al. [31] | 2.8 ± 1.2 | 2.3 ± 1.2 | 1.7 ± 1.1 | 1.7 ± 0.4 | -1.1 ± 1.5 | -0.5 ± 1.1 |
| Ghanei et al. [32] | 20.3 (95% CI = 16.7–23.8) | 17 (12.4–21.6) | 6.4 (2.9–9.8) | 14.4 (10.5–18.2) | NR | NR |
| Lahiji et al. [33] | 6.4 ± 1.5 | 4.2 ± 2.4 | -3.02 ± 1.8 | -0.48 ± 1.4 | ||
| Shayanpour et al. [34] | 3.56 ± 0.669 | 3.63 ± 0.609 | 1.72 ± 0.634 | 3.09 ± 0.963 | NR | NR |
| Heydarbaki et al. [35] | 6.40 | 6.33 | 2.90 | 4.61 | NR | NR |
| Forouhari et al. [36] | 6.59 ± 2.45 | 5.81 ± 3.17 | 3.18 ± 2.51 | 5.87 ± 2.25 | -3.41 ± 2.62 | 0.06 ± 2.54 |
| Distribution of pruritus | ||||||
| Peck et al. [13] | 1.88 ± 0.99 | OO: 2.33 ± 0.71; SO: 2.13 ± 0.64 | 1.25 ± 1.04 | OO: 1.22 ± 097; SO: 1.88 ± 0.99 | -0.63 ± 0.52 | -1.11 ± 1.05; -0.25 ± 0.46 |
| Begum et al. [31] | 2.3 ± 0.6 | 2.6 ± 0.7 | 1.5 ± 1.1 | 2.2 ± 0.8 | -0.8 ± 1.1 | -0.4 ± 0.8 |
| Frequency of pruritus | ||||||
| Peck et al. [13] | 3.66 ± 4.27 | OO: 1.97 ± 2.40; SO: 3.18 ± 4.27 | 2.07 ± 3.62 | OO: 0.84 ± 1.36; SO: 3.18 ± 4.41 | -1.59 ± 3.51 | OO: -1.13 ± 0.57; SO: 0.01 ± 1.01 |
| Begum et al. [31] | 3.7 ± 2.2 | 5.5 ± 2.4 | 2.2 ± 2.0 | 4.6 ± 2.5 | -1.5 ± 2.3 | -0.9 ± 2.8 |
| Awakening to itching | ||||||
| Begum et al. [31] | 4.1 ± 5.1 | 3.3 ± 3.9 | 1.4 ± 3.1 | 1.2 ± 0.9 | -2.7 ± 4.8 | -2.1 ± 3.8 |