Peltoniemi 2017

Methods	Randomised controlled trial Study location: neonatal intensive care unit at Oulu University Hospital, Finland Study period: March 1998 to May 2000
Participants	39 infants (BW 700 to 1500 grams, PMA ≤ 30.0 weeks)
Interventions	21 infants received EPO (EPO 250 IU/kg/d during the first 6 days of life IV for a period of 30 minutes) (total dose 1500 IU/kg/week). 18 infants received placebo (isotonic saline as placebo for a period of 30 minutes). None of the infants received iron during the first week of life.
Outcomes	Iron status Postnatal morbidities and follow‐up at the age of 2 years
Notes	We received additional information from Dr. Peltoniemi.
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	Random number table
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Low risk	Allocation was concealed, but details are not provided.
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Study drug and placebo were put into identical syringes.
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Nurses, doctors, and study investigators were blinded.
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Outcomes during initial hospital stay reported for all randomised infants. Of 20 surviving children at 2 years of age, 19 were enrolled and 10 were evaluated on Griffiths Developmental Scale. Of 16 surviving placebo group children at 2 years of age, all were enrolled and 9 were evaluated at on Griffiths Developmental Scale. Follow‐up rates for Griffiths Developmental Scale were low (thus unclear risk).
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	The protocol for the study was not available to us. The protocol was written in Finnish, and Dr. Antilla assured Dr. Peltoniemi that no deviations from the protocol occurred.
Other bias	Low risk	Appears free of other bias