Di Lazzaro 2014a.

Methods	Study design: RCT Number of dropouts: none Number of adverse effects: not reported Deaths: none ITT: yes
Participants	Country: Italy Sample size: 14 (7 in the experimental and 7 in the control group) Inclusion criteria: first ischaemic cerebral infarction confirmed by MRI; admitted to Stroke Unit; aged between 18 to 90 years; acute phase of stroke Exclusion criteria: prestroke disability; not understanding instructions for motor testing; excessive pain in any joint of the paretic limbs; contraindications to single‐pulse TMS; advanced diseases of inner organs; concurrent neurologic or psychiatric diseases; history of substance abuse; use of neuropsychotropic drugs
Interventions	2 arms Bilateral tDCS (anode over M1 of the lesioned hemisphere and cathode over M1 of the non‐lesioned hemisphere, simultaneously) (2 mA for 40 minutes) for 5 continuous days Sham tDCS (anode over M1 of the lesioned hemisphere and cathode over M1 of the non‐lesioned hemisphere, simultaneously) (2 mA for 30 seconds) for 5 continuous days
Outcomes	Outcomes were measured at baseline and at the end of intervention period Action Research Arm Test 9 Hole Peg Test Handgrip strength Motor Activity Log Scale National Institute of Health Stroke Scale Modified Rankin Scale Adverse event monitoring and reporting
Notes
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	Quote: "patients were randomized to real or sham tDCS treatment through a block randomization stratification approach"
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Not described by the authors
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) Subjective outcome measures	Low risk	Participants and personnel were blinded; quote "The investigators who applied real/sham tDCS were kept blind to the intervention by using the pre‐programmed stimulation mode in the stimulator settings"
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) Objective outcome measures	Low risk	Participants and personnel were blinded; quote "The investigators who applied real/sham tDCS were kept blind to the intervention by using the pre‐programmed stimulation mode in the stimulator settings"
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) Subjective outcome measures	Low risk	Quote: "An evaluator, blinded to the treatment, assessed the effects of the intervention"
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) Objective outcome measures	Low risk	Quote: "An evaluator, blinded to the treatment, assessed the effects of the intervention."
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) Subjective outcome measures	Low risk	All participants apparently completed the study. No treatment withdrawals, no losses to follow‐up, no trial group changes and no major adverse events were stated
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) Objective outcome measures	Low risk	All participants apparently completed the study. No treatment withdrawals, no losses to follow‐up, no trial group changes and no major adverse events were stated
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	High risk	All outcomes listed in the methods section reported except 'Adverse events', which was not reported clearly