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. 2017 Mar 28;2017(3):CD011650. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD011650.pub2

Chen 2006.

Study characteristics
Methods Randomised clinical trial
Participants Country: China
Number randomised: 180
Postrandomisation dropouts: 19 (10.6%)
Revised sample size: 180
Average age: 51 years
Females: 30 (16.7%)
Cirrhosis: not stated
Very early HCC: not stated
Portal hypertension: not stated
Viral aetiology: not stated
Immunotherapy/antiviral adjuvant therapy: not stated
Average follow‐up period in months (for all groups): mean: 29 months
Criteria for early or very early HCC and other inclusion criteria:
  • Single nodule < 5 cm

  • No vascular involvement

  • No extrahepatic metastases

  • Child‐Pugh class A

Interventions Participants were randomly assigned to 2 groups:
Group 1: surgery (n = 90).
Further details: open surgical resection.
Group 2: radiofrequency ablation (n = 71).
Further details: radiofrequency ablation using RF 2000 or LeVeen (RadioTherapeutics).
Outcomes The outcomes reported were:
  • mortality,

  • adverse events,

  • length of hospital stay.

Notes  
Risk of bias
Bias Authors' judgement Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias) Low risk Quote: "Randomization was done by using random numbers generated from a computer in a central registry for this study"
Allocation concealment (selection bias) Unclear risk Comment: this information was not available.
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)
All outcomes Unclear risk Comment: this information was not available.
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes Unclear risk Comment: this information was not available.
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes High risk Comment: there were postrandomisation dropouts.
Selective reporting (reporting bias) Low risk Comment: important clinical outcomes were reported.
For‐profit bias Low risk Quote: "Supported by the grant of Sciences and Technology Committee of Guangdo Province, China, 2002."
Other bias Low risk Comment: no other bias noted.