Xue 2011.

Methods	This was a randomised, controlled, parallel clinical trial
Participants	1. Setting: The trial recruited participants from a Chinese medicine hospital in Jiangmen, China 2. Age: from 2 to 12 years of age 3. Sex (men/women): 37/26 4. Number of participants randomised: 63 5. T/C: 33/30
Interventions	I. Treatment group 1. Shengxue Runfu decoction with individualised modifications 1.1 Ingredients and dosage Danggui(Radix angelicae sinensis) 6 g Ejiao (Gelatinum asini) 6 g Baizhu (Rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae) 6 g Tiandong (Radix asparagi) 6 g Maidong (Radix ophiopogonis) 6 g Taoren (Semen persicae) 6 g Mudanpi (Cortex moutan) 6 g Shudihuang(Radix rehmanniae preparata) 10 g Huangqi (Radix astragali) 10 g Fuling (Poria) 10 g Baixianpi (Cortex dictamni) 10 g Honghua (Flos carthami) 10 g Huangqin (Radix scutellariae) 10 g Gancao(Radix glycyrrhizae) 3 g Shengma (Rhizoma cimicifugae) 3 g 1.2 Administration Oral ingestion of the decoction 2 to 3 times daily 1.3 Duration of treatment 8 weeks 1.4 Follow up Did not state II. Control group 2. Loratadine tablet 2.1 Ingredients and dosage Loratadine 10 mg/tablet 2.2 Administration Oral ingestion 10 mg for body weight ≥ 30 kg once daily, 5 mg for body weight < 30 kg once daily 2.3 Duration of treatment 8 weeks 2.4 Follow up Did not state ‐ Topical application of CHM ointment and emollients for both groups
Outcomes	1. SCORAD score 2. Severity of itching score (measured by participant‐rated score, scale 0 to 10) 3. Skin lesion area score 4. Severity of skin lesion score 5. Effectiveness rate 6. Chinese medicine clinical syndrome score All assessments were conducted at baseline, week 4, and at the end of the 8‐week treatment period
Notes	1. The trial investigators claimed that they included only those who were diagnosed with AD and identified as "blood deficiency with wind‐dryness" in Chinese medicine 2. Did not report adverse event 3. The trial was funded by Guangdong Bureau of Chinese Medicine, China
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	This was not stated
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	This was not stated
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	High risk	This was not stated Comment: The appearance and administration of the 2 interventions were different, so it is unlikely that a blinding method was used
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	This was not stated
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	High risk	Quote: "...only those who took the herbal decoction for 20 days or more at week 4 of the trial were included for statistic analysis" Comment: ITT was not used for those who took herbal decoction for less than 20 days
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Unclear risk	There was insufficient information
Other potential sources of bias (use of published validated scoring system )	Low risk	The trial used SCORAD