Scanlon 1992.

Study characteristics
Methods	Study design: RCT Location: UK Setting: regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (Birmingham Maternity Hospital) Duration: not reported
Participants	Inclusion criteria: 44 infants < 31 weeks' gestational age with either 10 or more apneic attacks in 8 hours or 4 apneas in 1 hour Exclusion criteria: not specified
Interventions	High dose: loading dose 50 mg/kg/day and maintenance dose 12 mg/kg/day Low dose: loading dose 25 mg/kg/day and maintenance dose 6 mg/kg/day
Outcomes	Outcomes reported that are considered for this review: reduction of number of apneas
Notes
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	Random numbers in sealed envelopes.
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Not described
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	High risk	The two strengths of caffeine citrate were not identical in appearance.
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Not described
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Only eight of 44 randomized infants were excluded.
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Unclear risk	Trial protocol not available.
Other bias	Low risk	None known