Barker 1999 (P).

Methods	DESIGN Between‐patient Participant delivery ALLOCATION Random Method of randomisation: unclear Concealment: unclear BLINDING Double‐blind (unclear) WITHDRAWAL/DROPOUT Described
Participants	N: 60 Treatment duration: 8 wks; FU: 8 wks LF: 6 (10.0%) BC: demographics similar; clinical characteristics not reported Age: 47.2 (14.5SD, N = 144) (range = 20 to 75) Gender (per cent men): 59.7% (86/144) Severity: not reported INCLUSION CRITERIA Chronic plaque psoriasis Stable bilateral lesions affecting < 20% total body surface area Adult (aged 18 to 85) EXCLUSION CRITERIA Pregnancy Concomitant disease Known hypersensitivity to vitamin D derivatives Systemic treatments within previous 1 mth Systemic retinoids within previous 2 mths Plaques < 10 cm² or > 150 cm²
Interventions	Dose‐ranging study including placebo; calcipotriol 50 mcg/g; maxacalcitol ointment 6, 12.5, 25, and 50 mcg/g OD. Contrast included the following: Calcipotriol ointment 50 mcg/g OD (C) Placebo ointment (vehicle) (P)
Outcomes	Psoriasis Severity Index (PSI): sum scores for erythema, induration and scaling (0 to 24) IAGI (6‐pt: worse to cleared) PAGI (6‐pt: worse to cleared) Investigator side preference Patient side preference
Notes	Non‐target plaques received emollient or coal tar throughout the study. Chugai Pharma Europe sponsored the trial.
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	The trial reported insufficient details.
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes	Low risk	The trial was double‐blind (participant/assessor).
Randomisation method reported	Unclear risk	The trial did not report this.
Loss to follow up	Low risk	10.0%
Baseline assessments	Low risk	These were partially reported (demographics only).
Baseline comparability demonstrated	Unclear risk	These were partially done.