Table 5.
Subgroup analysis: omega-3 PUFA and pain-free walking distance
| Subgroup | No. of trials |
Total patients in cohort |
Effect estimate (95% CI) | I 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omega-3 PUFA | Control | ||||
|
Effect of Intervention Duration on PFWD
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Less than 6 months (Gans 1990 [37]) |
1 |
16 |
16 |
MD, -31.00 (-74.34, 12.34) |
NE |
| 6 months or longer (Leng 1998 [34], Carrero 2005 [35], Carrero 2006 [36]) |
3 |
79 |
72 |
MD, 172.98 (-0.82, 346.77) |
80% |
|
Effect of Omega-3 PUFA Dose on PFWD
|
|
|
|
|
|
| More than 0.3 g/day (Gans 1990 [37]) |
1 |
16 |
16 |
MD, -31.00 (-74.34, 12.34) |
NE |
| Less than or equal to 0.3 g/day (Leng 1998 [34], Carrero 2005 [36], Carrero 2006 [37]) |
3 |
79 |
72 |
MD, 172.98 (-0.82, 346.77) |
80% |
|
Effect of Omega-3 PUFA Type on PFWD
|
|
|
|
|
|
| EPA + DHA + ALA (Carrero 2005 [35], Carrero 2006 [36]) |
2 |
40 |
36 |
MD, 260.33 (160.05, 360.60) |
0% |
| EPA + DHA (Gans 1990 [37]) |
1 |
16 |
16 |
MD, -31.00 (-74.34, 12.34) |
NE |
| EPA (Leng 1998 [34]) | 1 | 39 | 36 | MD, 10.00 (-109.07, 129.07) | NE |
ALA, alpha-linolenic acid; CI, confidence intervals; DHA, docosahexaenoic acid; EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid; MD, mean difference; PFWD, pain-free walking distance; I2, I-squared.