Dixon 1984.
| Methods | Randomised controlled trial. Duration 4 months. | |
| Participants | Adults (n = 88, 50 men and 38 women, mean (SD) age 59.6 years (13.7 years) with >5% weight loss in previous 2 months or persistent change to eating habits or problems interfering with eating, undergoing palliative treatment or chemotherapy for cancer affecting a variety of sites (main sites colorectal (27%) lymphoma (16%)). 63% of participants completed the study. 23 deaths and 10 dropouts, groups not specified. |
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| Interventions | Nutritional counselling (n = 9), nutritional counselling and a range of nutritional supplements (n = 9), structured relaxation training, relaxation training and a nutritional supplement and a control group receiving home visits but no nutritional advice (n = 10). | |
| Outcomes | Survival*, body weight*, TSF*, MAMC*, performance status (Karnofsky scale), subjective evaluation of helpfulness. | |
| Notes | Data from two interventions will be used: 1. nutritional counselling versus no dietary advice; and 2. nutritional counselling versus nutritional counselling and nutritional supplements. Nutritional counselling provided by nurses. |
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| Risk of bias | ||
| Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) | Unclear risk | Described as randomised, method not stated. |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Unclear risk | Method not stated. |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) Clinical outcomes | Unclear risk | Not discussed. |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) Functional outcomes | Unclear risk | Not discussed. |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) Nutritional outcomes | Unclear risk | Not discussed. |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes | High risk | 63% of participants completed the study. 23 deaths and 10 dropouts, groups not specified therefore risk of bias. |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) | Unclear risk | All outcomes reported. No data usable for analysis because data are presented as mean change from desirable weight and change from standard for TSF and analysed using ANOVA. No response received from author. |
| Other bias | Low risk | Baseline variables stated, groups similar at baseline. |