Thilothammal 1996

Methods	Parallel study design, outpatient setting Study conducted in Madras (Chennai), India Random list generated using computer‐generated random numbers Method of concealment not mentioned Double‐blind achieved by providing additional placebo tablets
Participants	Children with more than 1 previously untreated generalised tonic‐clonic (afebrile) seizure Number randomised: PHT = 52; SV = 48 0% partial epilepsy. 52 (52%) men. Age range: 4‐12 years Range of follow‐up (months): 22‐36
Interventions	Monotherapy with PHT or SV Starting doses: PHT: 5‐8 mg/kg/day, SV: 15‐50 mg/kg/day Dose achieved not stated
Outcomes	Proportion with recurrence of seizures Adverse events
Notes	Outcomes chosen for this review were not reported. IPD not available
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	Participants randomised via a computer‐generated list of random numbers
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	No information provided
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Double–blinded using additional placebo tablets; unclear who was blinded
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Double–blinded using additional placebo tablets; unclear who was blinded
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Attrition rates reported; all randomised participants analysed
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	No protocol available; outcomes chosen for this review not reported
Other bias	Low risk	No other bias detected