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. 2012 Sep 12;2012(9):CD007170. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007170.pub2

Vanschoonbeek 2006.

Methods Design: double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, parallel group, single‐centre clinical trial
Randomisation ratio: not stated
Participants Participants: 25 postmenopausal woman recruited, 25 analysed (cinnamon = 12, placebo = 13). Mean age (cinnamon = 62 ± 2 years, placebo = 64 ± 2 years). Duration of diabetes (cinnamon = 7.6 ± 1.4 years, placebo = 7.1 ± 1.6 years)
 Inclusion criteria: type 2 diabetes mellitus
 Exclusion criteria: impaired liver or renal function; cardiovascular disease; exogenous insulin therapy
 Diagnostic criteria: WHO (1999) criteria
 Co‐morbidities: not stated
 Co‐medications: oral hypoglycaemic agents (metformin, sulphonylureas, thiazolidinediones)
Interventions Number of study centres: 1
 Country/location: Maastricht, Netherlands
 Setting: university research laboratory
 Intervention (route, total dose/day, frequency): oral, cinnamon 500 mg (C. cassia) capsule, 3 times a day
 Control (route, total dose/day, frequency): oral, 1 wheat flour capsule, 3 times a day
 Treatment before study: not applicable
 Titration period: not applicable
Outcomes Primary outcome(s) (as stated in the publication): not stated
 Secondary outcomes (as stated in the publication): not stated
 Additional/other outcomes: HbA1c; FBGL; fasting plasma insulin; OGIS; ISIcomp; HOMA‐IR; total cholesterol; low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol; high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol; triacylglycerol
Study details Duration of intervention: 6 weeks
 Duration of follow‐up: not applicable
 Run‐in period: not applicable
Publication details Language of publication: English
(Non‐)/commercial funding: not stated
Publication status: peer‐reviewed journal
Stated aim of study To determine the effects of cinnamon supplementation on FBGL, insulin, HbA1c, whole‐body insulin sensitivity, and serum lipids
Notes
Risk of bias
Bias Authors' judgement Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias) Unclear risk Method of treatment allocation not mentioned
Comment: probably not done
Allocation concealment (selection bias) Unclear risk Method of allocation concealment not described
Comment: probably not done
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) 
 All outcomes Low risk Quote: "double‐blind"; "capsules...could not be distinguished by color, scent, or taste"
Comment: probably done
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) 
 All outcomes Unclear risk ITT not mentioned; though it appeared that all randomised participants were included in the analysis
Selective reporting (reporting bias) Unclear risk All primary outcomes listed were reported, though no study protocol was published or lodged
Other bias Unclear risk Information on enrolments, exclusions and withdrawals was missing

BMI: body mass index; FBGL: fasting blood glucose level; HbA1c: glycosylated haemoglobin; HMG‐CoA: 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methyl‐glutaryl‐CoA; HOMA‐IR: homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance; ISIcomp: index of composite whole‐body insulin sensitivity; ITT: intention to treat; OGIS: oral glucose insulin sensitivity; PPG: postprandial glucose.