Habib 2016.

Study characteristics
Methods	Randomised, open‐label clinical trial
Participants	This trial assessed the effects of rifaximin plus lactulose versus lactulose alone in 22 participants with cirrhosis and an acute episode of hepatic encephalopathy, grade II‐IV. There were 61 participants in each group. Age (mean ± SD) years Rifaximin plus lactulose 50.0 ± 2.3 Lactulose only 52.0 ± 2.8 Proportion of men (%) Rifaximin plus lactulose 48 Lactulose only 45 Aetiology of cirrhosis Not reported
Interventions	Intervention: rifaximin tablet 550 mg twice daily plus lactulose 30 ml thrice daily Control: lactulose 30 ml thrice daily Co‐intervention: none Duration of treatment: likely 7 days
Outcomes	Neuropsychiatric assessment Mental status: West Haven criteria No information provided on the criteria used to determine treatment response
Inclusion period	August 2014 to February 2015
Outcomes included in meta‐analyses	Hepatic encephalopathy
Country of origin	Single centre in Pakistan
Notes	Publication status : full paper Vested interests bias: no information provided Additional information: no contact details provided in the article
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	"Patients were randomly allocated to one of the two groups on lottery basis". P 38
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	No information provided on allocation concealment.
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	High risk	No mention of blinding as trial conducted open‐label.
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	High risk	See above
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	High risk	Duration of follow‐up is not reported. No data on mortality, adverse events or attrition reported.
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	High risk	Duration of follow‐up is not reported. The predefined outcome is reported for all participants.
Other bias	Low risk	No other bias detected.
Overall bias assessment (mortality)	High risk	Mortality is not reported.
Overall bias assessment (non‐mortality outcomes)	High risk	High risk of selective reporting, performance and detection bias