Skip to main content
. 2017 May 19;2017(5):CD011598. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD011598.pub2

Williams 1985.

Methods Randomised clinical trial, unknown country.
Participants 64 hospitalised adults with acute alcoholic hepatitis, at nutritional risk defined by trialist
Male:Female = 31:33
Mean age = 49 years
Exclusion criteria: hepatocellular carcinoma
Interventions Experimental group: 2 litres daily of liquid diet providing, regardless of encephalopathy, approximately 2000 nonprotein kcal and 10 g nitrogen as 65 g of conventional protein administered enterally for 3 weeks (n = 21)
Control group: No intervention (n = 22)
Co‐intervention: The control diet yielded < 22 mol sodium, 1800 ‐ 2400 kcal and 70 ‐ 100 g protein. The adults receiving only the control diet were given vitamin K i.v. (10 mg x 3) and were subsequently managed with protein restriction (to 40 or 60 g) if indicated for control of encephalopathy, and by intravenous infusion of 5 ‐ 20% dextrose solutions if temporarily unable to take food orally.
Outcomes Mortality, complications, hepatic function (prothrombin time), indices of malnutrition and nitrogen balance
Study dates Not stated
Notes "The authors were not contacted since dr. Calvey died several years ago and no additional data was available" (Koretz 2012).
Risk of bias
Bias Authors' judgement Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias) Unclear risk Not described
Allocation concealment (selection bias) Unclear risk Not described
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) 
 All outcomes Unclear risk Not described
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) 
 All outcomes Unclear risk Not described
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) 
 All outcomes Unclear risk The number of participants with incomplete data was not reported.
Selective reporting (reporting bias) Low risk The trial reported mortality and complications.
For‐profit bias Low risk The trial was supported by the Joint Research Committee of King's College Hospital and Medical School.
Other bias Low risk The trial appeared to be free of other components that could put it at risk of bias.