Coleman 2012.

Methods	Randomisation 2 arms: stretching, aerobics and strength resistance training versus standard care Recruitment period Not reported Median follow‐up time No follow‐up analysis Sample size calculation unclear, various assumptions in the published papers
Participants	Eligibility criteria New diagnosis of multiple myeloma Eligible for tandem autologous peripheral‐blood stem cell transplantation No risk for pathologic fractures or spinal cord compression Participants (N = 187) Intervention group (N = 95) Control group (N = 92) Mean age Intervention group: 56.0 years Control group: 56.4 years Stage of disease Not reported Therapy Intervention group: 69% Total Therapy II, 31% Total Therapy III; 36% no thalidomide, 64% thalidomide Control group: 75% Total Therapy II, 25% Total Therapy III; 43% no thalidomide, 57% thalidomide Country USA
Interventions	Exercise group Aerobic exercise: walking to tolerance (until tired) Stretching: performed daily for various muscles Strength resistance training on alternate days with stretch bands. Control group Participants advised to follow written exercise recommendations provided by their physician. Advised to remain as active as possible and to try to walk 20 minutes per day All participants received high‐dose therapy and tandem transplantation (Total Therapy II or Total Therapy III). 50% of those receiving Total Therapy II were randomised to receive thalidomide during induction, after transplantation consolidation, and maintenance therapy. All Total Therapy III participants (62) received thalidomide. EPO administered to first 102 study participants (investigational algorithm) that allowed haemoglobin levels to reach 15 g/dL before dose reduction or delay, and started before chemotherapy unless baseline haemoglobin was < 15 g/dL, differing from recommended haemoglobin parameters for EPO administration to participants who are receiving chemotherapy outside of a clinical trial setting. Duration of short‐term study was 15 weeks. The first 70 participants who met eligibility for long‐term participation (i.e. response to EPO) continued in the study for an additional 15 weeks, which included administration of DCEP, melphalan and the first peripheral‐blood stem cell transplantation EPO was administered to the first 102 study participants according to an investigational algorithm that allowed haemoglobin levels to reach 15 g/dL before dose reduction or delay, and started before chemotherapy unless baseline haemoglobin was less than 15 g/dL.
Outcomes	Reported and analysed in this review Fatigue 6‐minute walk test Adverse events Reported but not relevant for this review Response to intensive treatment protocol for multiple myeloma Time to recovery after transplantation Haemoglobin levels Number of red blood cell‐ and platelet transfusions Number of attempts at and total days of stem cell collection
Notes	Conflict of interest not reported, funding not reported
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Not reported
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Not reported
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	High risk	Blinding in this context is not feasible
Blinding of outcome assessor (primary endpoint; mortality)	Low risk	Outcome not reported. The review authors judge that the outcome mortality in this unblinded trial is unlikely to be influenced by lack of blinding
Blinding of outcome assessor (patient‐reported outcomes)	High risk	Blinding in this context is not feasible
Blinding of outcome assessor (physical performance, AEs, SAEs)	Unclear risk	Not reported
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	High risk	15 participants who dropped out were not analysed
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	All outcomes mentioned in the protocol are reported
Other bias	High risk	50% of participants received thalidomide. In the study analysis this drug administration was not considered and no subgroup data were provided for participants receiving or not receiving thalidomide