Derbala 2005.

Methods	Study design: randomised clinical trial.
Participants	Country: Egypt. Total number (sample size): 70. Age, years: 42.6 group A; 38.7 group B. Sex (male): group A 27, group B 26. Genotype: four. Previous HCV treatment: naive. Inclusion criteria: biopsy proven chronic hepatitis C, persistently elevated ALT, HCV RNA positive.
Interventions	Group A: 35 participants Drug: peginterferon alpha‐2b. Dosage: 1.5 µg/kg. Duration: 48 weeks. Group B: 35 participants. Drug: interferon alpha‐2b. Dosage: 6 MU thrice weekly. Duration: 48 weeks. Ribavirin was given to both groups at a weight‐based dose ranging from 800 mg to 1000 mg. 1200 mg (more than 75 kg). 1000 mg (less than 75 kg but more than 65 kg). 800 (less than 65 kg).
Outcomes	Sustained virological response. Adverse events.
Notes	Abstract only, no data about inclusion and exclusion criteria are provided.
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Comments: Method used to perform sequence generation is not mentioned.
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Comment: Method of allocation concealment is not mentioned.
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Comment: It is not mentioned whether outcome assessors were blinded.
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Comment: The number and reasons for participant dropout were clearly specified. Intention‐to‐treat analysis did not change the estimates for sustained virological response.
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	Comment: All clinically relevant and reasonably expected outcomes were reported.
Other bias	Low risk	Comment: The trial seems to be free of other sources of bias.