Table 4 GRADE evidence profile: using SNRIs is treating ADHD symptoms
Certainty assessment | Population size | Certainty | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Outcome | Number of studies | Study design | Risk of bias | Imprecision | Inconsistency | Indirectness | Publication bias | ||
Venlafaxine | |||||||||
 Venlafaxine significantly improves ADHD symptoms in ADHD patients (no age range) | 10 | RCT | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | 246 | High |
 Venlafaxine significantly improves ADHD symptoms in children and adolescents | 5 | RCT | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | 145 | High |
 Venlafaxine significantly improves ADHD symptoms in adults | 5 | RCT | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | 101 | High |
 The side effects of venlafaxine in ADHD patients were not serious and were tolerable (no age range) | 10 | RCT | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | 246 | High |
 The side effects of venlafaxine in children and adolescent ADHD patients were not serious and were tolerable | 5 | RCT | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | 145 | High |
 The side effects of venlafaxine in adult ADHD patients were not serious and were tolerable | 5 | RCT | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | 101 | High |
 Bupropion and venlafaxine are equal in efficacy for treating ADHD symptoms in children | 1 | RCT | Not serious | Serious | Serious | Not serious | Not serious | 40 | Very low |
 Methylphenidate and venlafaxine are equal in efficacy for treating ADHD symptoms in children | 1 | RCT | Not serious | Serious | Serious | Not serious | Not serious | 38 | Very low |
 Placebo and venlafaxine are equal in efficacy for treating ADHD symptoms in adults | 1 | RCT | Not serious | Serious | Serious | Not serious | Not serious | 44 | Very low |
 Venlafaxine is better than methylphenidate in treating ADHD patients suffering from chronic MDD | 1 | RCT | Not serious | Serious | Serious | Not serious | Not serious | 17 | Very low |
 Venlafaxine improves inattentive symptoms but not hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms in children and adolescents | 1 | RCT | Not serious | Serious | Serious | Not serious | Not serious | 38 | Very low |
Duloxetine | |||||||||
 Duloxetine significantly improves ADHD symptoms (no age range) | 3 | RCT | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | 60 | Moderate |
 Duloxetine significantly improves ADHD symptoms in children and adolescents | 2 | RCT | Serious | Serious | Serious | Not serious | Not serious | 30 | Low |
 Duloxetine significantly improves ADHD symptoms in adults | 1 | RCT | Serious | Serious | Serious | Not serious | Not serious | 30 | Very low |
 The side effects of duloxetine in ADHD patients were not serious and were tolerable (no age range) | 3 | RCT | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | 60 | Low |
 The side effects of duloxetine in children and adolescent ADHD patients were not serious and were tolerable | 2 | RCT | Serious | Serious | Serious | Not serious | Not serious | 30 | Very low |
 The side effects of duloxetine in adult ADHD patients were not serious and were tolerable | 1 | RCT | Serious | Serious | Serious | Not serious | Not serious | 30 | Very low |
 Duloxetine improves hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms but not inattentive symptoms | 1 | RCT | Not serious | Serious | Serious | Not serious | Not serious | 13 | Very low |
SNRIs | |||||||||
 SNRIs significantly improve ADHD symptoms (no age range) | 13 | RCT | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | 306 | High |
 SNRIs significantly improve ADHD symptoms in children and adolescents | 7 | RCT | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | 175 | High |
 SNRIs significantly improve ADHD symptoms in adults | 6 | RCT | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | 131 | High |
 The side effects of SNRIs in ADHD patients were not serious and were tolerable (no age range) | 13 | RCT | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | 306 | Moderate |
 The side effects of SNRIs in children and adolescent ADHD patients were not serious and were tolerable | 7 | RCT | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | 175 | Moderate |
 The side effects of SNRIs in adult ADHD patients were not serious and were tolerable | 6 | RCT | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | Not serious | 131 | Moderate |