Ref (type)	Population	Outcome, Interventions	Results and statistical analysis	Effect size	Favours
Sleep quality
Systematic review	277 people aged 60 years or over with insomnia 7 RCTs in this analysis	Mean subjective sleep-quality score (measured on a 5-point scale) at least 5 nights 3.1 with benzodiazepines 2.7 with placebo	Mean effect size 0.37 95% CI 0.01 to 0.73 P = 0.04	Effect size not calculated	benzodiazepines
RCT Crossover design 3-armed trial	25 people aged 70 to 89 years with primary insomnia; 20 people completed at least 1 treatment arm	Subjective sleep quality (scale 1–5) 14 days 3.3 with temazepam 15 mg for 14 nights 2.9 with placebo	P <0.05	Effect size not calculated	temazepam
Total sleep time
Systematic review	524 people aged 60 years or over with insomnia 7 RCTs in this analysis	Total sleep time at least 5 nights with benzodiazepines with placebo Absolute numbers not reported	Mean difference in increased total sleep time: 34.2 minutes 95% CI 16.2 minutes to 52.8 minutes P <0.01	Effect size not calculated	benzodiazepines
RCT Crossover design 3-armed trial	25 people aged 70 to 89 years with primary insomnia; 20 people completed at least 1 treatment arm	Subjective total sleep time 14 days 6.9 hours with temazepam 15 mg for 14 nights 6.3 hours with placebo	P <0.05	Effect size not calculated	temazepam
RCT 4-armed trial	78 people aged at least 55 years (mean age 65 years) with primary insomnia	Change from baseline in total sleep time 8 weeks From 340.21 minutes to 383.90 minutes with temazepam (variable dose) From 331.04 minutes to 350.70 minutes with placebo	P <0.01	Effect size not calculated	temazepam
Number of awakenings
Systematic review	296 people aged 60 years or over with insomnia 6 RCTs in this analysis	Number of awakenings at least 5 nights with benzodiazepines with placebo Absolute results not reported	Mean difference in reduced number of awakenings: –0.60 95% CI –0.41 to –0.78 P <0.0001	Effect size not calculated	benzodiazepines
RCT Crossover design 3-armed trial	25 people aged 70 to 89 years with primary insomnia; 20 people completed at least 1 treatment arm	Number of awakenings (subjective measure) 14 days 1.5 with temazepam 15 mg for 14 nights 2.0 with placebo	P <0.05	Effect size not calculated	temazepam
Sleep onset latency
RCT Crossover design 3-armed trial	25 people aged 70 to 89 years with primary insomnia; 20 people completed at least 1 treatment arm	Subjective sleep onset latency 14 days 25.4 minutes with temazepam 15 mg for 14 nights 36.8 minutes with placebo	P <0.05	Effect size not calculated	temazepam
Sleep efficiency
RCT 4-armed trial	78 people aged at least 55 years (mean age 65 years) with primary insomnia	Change from baseline in sleep efficiency 8 weeks From 72.37% to 82.68% with temazepam (variable dose) From 69.11% to 73.39% with placebo	P <0.01	Effect size not calculated	temazepam