Chen 1996

Methods	Randomised, parallel group study conducted in Taiwan 3 treatment arms: CBZ, PB, sodium valproate
Participants	Children with 2 or more previously untreated unprovoked epileptic seizures Number randomised: PB = 25, CBZ = 26; number analysed: PB = 23, CBZ = 25 (see notes) Mean age (range): PB = 9.9 (7 to 15 years), CBZ = 10.8 (7 to 15 years) CBZ versus PB: 26 (54%) participants with partial epilepsy 25 (52%) male participants Study duration: 12 months Range of follow‐up: not stated
Interventions	Monotherapy with PB or CBZ. Dose started or achieved not stated
Outcomes	Cognitive/psychometric outcomes: IQ (WISC‐R scale) and developmental delay (Bender‐Gestalt test) Auditory event‐related potentials (neurophysiological outcome) Incidence of allergic reactions Seizure control
Notes	2 children from the PB group and 1 child from the CBZ group withdrew from the study because of allergic reactions. Published results were presented for children who completed the study only. Outcomes chosen for this review were not reported; IPD were not available.
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	Participants were allocated with "simple randomisation of block size 3."
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	No information was provided.
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	The cognitive assessor was 'single‐blinded', implying that participants and personnel were unblinded, but no further information was provided.
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	Low risk	The cognitive assessor was single‐blinded.
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	High risk	Withdrawal rates were reported; results were presented only for those who completed the study (CBZ versus PB: 3/51 (6%) excluded from analysis). An ITT approach was not taken.
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	All cognitive, efficacy, and tolerability outcomes specified in the methods sections were reported well in the results section. No protocol was available. Outcomes chosen for this review were not reported.
Other bias	Low risk	We detected no other bias