Wahib 2014.

Study characteristics
Methods	Randomised, open‐label clinical trial
Participants	This trial assessed the effects of rifaximin versus lactulose in 50 people with cirrhosis and an acute episode of hepatic encephalopathy, grade I‐III. There were 25 participants in each group. Age Not reported Proportion of men Not reported Aetiology of cirrhosis Hepatitis C (100%)
Interventions	Rifaximin: rifaximin 400 mg thrice daily Control intervention: lactulose 30 ml thrice daily Co‐interventions: daily enemata in both groups Duration of treatment: 7 days
Outcomes	Neuropsychiatric assessment Modified PSE Sum/Index: mental state (West Haven Criteria), asterixis, NCT‐A, venous blood ammonia
Inclusion period	Not reported
Outcomes included in meta‐analyses	Mortality, hepatic encephalopathy, blood ammonia
Country of origin	Single centre in Egypt
Notes	Publication status: full paper Vested interests bias: no information provided Additional information: authors contacted on 11 April 2021 for further information on participant and study characteristics, conflicts of interest, randomisation methods, allocation concealment, blinding status, trial registry status, clarification on missing outcomes, and data on both our primary and secondary outcomes; still awaiting response.
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	High risk	Participants were classified into two groups: no mention of randomisation.
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	High risk	No mention of randomisation; open‐label trial.
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	High risk	No mention of blinding in journal article.
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	High risk	No mention of blinding in journal article.
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	All participants accounted for in journal article; no deaths reported.
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	High risk	No prespecified outcomes; no information provided on side effects; trial not registered in trial database.
Other bias	Low risk	No other bias detected.
Overall bias assessment (mortality)	Low risk	All participants alive at the end of the study.
Overall bias assessment (non‐mortality outcomes)	High risk	High risk of selection, detection, performance, and reporting bias; no information on side effects of treatment.