Zhao 2002.

Study characteristics
Methods	Study design: RCT Method of randomisation: not stated
Participants	Number of participants: n = 180 Inclusion criteria: not stated
Interventions	(1) Rehabilitation nursing group (n = 100) "The rehabilitation nursing group received conventional treatment and rehabilitative treatment. During acute cerebral oedema, rehabilitation commenced with bedside therapy, postural positioning and passive ranging exercises. 7‐14 days, after reduction in cerebral oedema, active training became the focus, including six stages: (i) active or passive ranging bed exercises; (ii) sit up from bed and sitting on the edge of bed balance training; (iii) sit‐to‐stand training; (iv) standing balance training; (v) flat ground gait training; (vi) up‐and–down stair and ADL training (e.g. donning, grooming, feeding, showering etc). After discharging to home, rehabilitation focused on maintaining joint range of motion and ADL, seeking the assistance of family members. After discharge, both groups had follow up visits to the hospital fortnightly, and monthly after a period of 3 months" The individual components delivered are listed in Table 6. Based on the individual components, this intervention is categorised as comprising functional task training, musculoskeletal intervention (active) and musculoskeletal intervention (passive) Length of intervention period: total therapy duration 31.6 ± 11.2 days Number of sessions and length of individual sessions: five/wk, with the first phase having 30 minutes/session, and 45 minutes/session thereafter Intervention provider: 1:1 nurse‐to‐participant ratio (2) Control group (n = 80) "Received conventional treatment, including control of hypertension, lowering intracranial pressure, anti‐coagulant treatment, neuro‐regenerative treatment and self‐treatment, with treatment duration being 29.1 days ± 8.4 days" The individual components delivered are listed in Table 6. Based on the individual components, this intervention is categorised as comprising no intervention Length of intervention period: treatment duration 29.1 ± 8.4 days Number of sessions and length of individual sessions: no intervention Intervention provider: no intervention This study is classified as intervention (functional task training, musculoskeletal (active), musculoskeletal (passive)) versus no treatment (Table 7)
Outcomes	Measures of Independence in ADL: Barthel Index Measures of motor function: Fugl‐Meyer Assessment Other secondary outcome measures: degree of neurological deficit (translated) Time points when outcomes were assessed: before intervention and at one week, three weeks, five weeks, three months, six months and 12 months after stroke
Notes	Original study translated from Chinese to English.
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	No information provided
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	No information provided
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Blinded assessment
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	No dropouts described
Free of systematic differences in baseline characteristics of groups compared?	Low risk	No statistically significant differences in baseline values
Did authors adjust for baseline differences in their analyses?	Low risk	No information provided
Other bias	Unclear risk	No information provided