VASSCSG 1987

Methods	Randomized controlled trial 10 centres
Participants	Adults (n = 223) with sepsis or septic shock (n = 100)
Interventions	Methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg as a single intravenous 10 to 15‐minute infusion, followed by a constant infusion of 5 mg/kg/h for 9 hours) Placebo Treatment had to be initiated within 2 hours
Outcomes	PRIMARY 14‐Day mortality SECONDARY Complications
Notes	Study location: USA
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	Computer‐generated randomization scheme
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Low risk	Centralized randomization
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Participants: yes Care‐givers: yes Data collectors: yes Outcome assessors: yes Data analysts: yes
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Lost to follow‐up: none
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Unclear risk	No access to study protocol
Other bias	Unclear risk	No data to exclude selection bias