Gaughan 1997.

Methods	Study design: open‐label RCT Study duration: September 1993 to February 1995 Study follow‐up: 6 months
Participants	Country: USA Setting: single centre HD patients Number (randomised/analysed): treatment group (10/9); control group (10/10) Mean age ± SD (years): treatment group (53.7 ± 16.7); control group (45.3 ± 15.4) Sex (M/F): treatment group (7/2); control group (4/6) Exclusion criteria: deficiency, sickle cell disease, primary haemolytic anaemia, or multiple myeloma; previous nephrectomy; active gastrointestinal bleeding; active ischaemic heart disease,; abnormal liver function; uncontrolled hypertension; iron deficiency (ferritin < 100 ng/mL or transferrin saturation < 15% or both; infection with the human immunodeficiency virus; known malignancy; presence of inflammation or infection; doubtful compliance as a result of alcohol abuse, drug abuse, or poor motivation
Interventions	Treatment group Nandrolone decanoate: 100 mg IM weekly Alpha rHuEPO: 1500 U IV at the end of each HD session Duration: 26 weeks Control group Alpha rHuEPO: 1500 U IV at the end of each HD session Duration: 26 weeks
Outcomes	TG Albumin Transferrin Adverse events: acne
Notes	Mortality, Hb, HCT, ALT, AST, BUN, SCr, cholesterol, HDL, LDL and total protein not reported
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Randomisation claimed, but detail not provided
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Not reported
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	High risk	Open‐label
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Not reported
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	One ND arm participant withdrew: active injection with mycobacterium tuberculosis. It was not reported that skin tuberculin tests were undertaken for study participants
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	Investigators reported that although the study protocol was available, we were unable to obtain a copy. However, it was clear that the published reports included all expected outcomes
Other bias	Low risk	Signed informed consent was obtained from all participants. Study protocol approved by the Institutional Review Board at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Overall, participant demographic data were similar between groups