Saluja 2002a.

Methods	Randomised clinical trial, India
Participants	20 hospitalised adults between 20 and 60 years undergoing major abdominal surgery, at nutritional risk due to major abdominal surgery
Interventions	Experimental group: Received the standard ward diet plus the hospital kitchen‐prepared liquid sip feed of 500 ml, providing 500 kcal comprising 16.66 g protein, 43.5 g carbohydrate, and 30 g fat. The 500‐ml sip feed contained 375 ml milk, 12.5 g sugar, 12.5 g butter, 12.5 g colustarch, 125 ml rice water, and half an egg. (n = 19) Control group: Received a standard ward diet (n = 10)
Outcomes	Weight, albumin, middle‐arm circumference (MAC), hand‐grip strength, lymphocyte count
Study dates	April 1999 to March 2000
Notes	1st comparison of the complete trial Saluja 2002. We contacted the authors by email sundeepsaluja@yahoo.co.in. The author could not remember the method of randomisation.
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	In the trial the randomisation was described as being done through drawing lots but it was unclear if this was done by an independent person. The author could not remember the method of randomisation.
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Not described
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	High risk	Not described
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	High risk	Not described
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	There were no dropouts or withdrawals.
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	No protocol could be obtained, but we received information on all‐cause mortality and serious adverse events.
For‐profit bias	Unclear risk	It was unclear how the trial was funded.
Other bias	Low risk	The trial appeared to be free of other components that could put it at risk of bias.