Cacchio 2009b

Methods	RCT
Participants	Country: Italy Sample size: 24 Participants (8 in each group) Inclusion criteria: first ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke (> 6 months); diagnosis of CRPS‐type 1 (pain VAS > 4 cm) Exclusion criteria: intra‐articular shoulder injection in the previous 6 months or systemic corticosteroid in the previous 4 months; another obvious explanation for pain; prior surgery to shoulder or neck region; serious uncontrolled medical conditions; global aphasia or cognitive impairments interfering with understanding instructions, motor testing and treatment; visual impairments interfering with aims of the study; evidence of recent alcohol or drug abuse; or severe depression
Interventions	3 arms: mirror therapy: participants performed cardinal upper extremity movements while looking in the mirror sham therapy: patients performed the same treatment protocol as in group 1 but with covering the reflecting side of the mirror mental imagery: participants performed mental imagery 1, 2 and 3: 5 days a week; 30 minutes of therapy for 4 weeks
Outcomes	Outcomes were recorded at baseline and after the intervention period WMFT/FA: 0 to 5, lower scores indicating better functioning WMFT/PT: in seconds Pain (VAS 0 to 10) Brushed induced allodynia Oedema
Notes	Published and unpublished data; we only analysed the first intervention period (4 weeks); we summarised groups 2 and 3 to one control group
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Block randomisation; sequence generation method not stated
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Low risk	A therapist not involved in the treatments; opened sealed envelopes and assigned appointments according to treatment group (authors' statement)
ITT analysis	Low risk	Results were analysed on an ITT basis
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) primary outcome	Low risk	Assessors were blinded to group allocation