Schweizer 1995.

Methods	Study design: Randomised controlled trial Study grouping: Parallel group Blinding: Double Duration: 10 weeks Single‐centre
Participants	Baseline characteristics Not reported Inclusion criteria: At least 18 years of age and taking diazepam, lorazepam, or alprazolam on a continuous daily basis for at least 1 year Exclusion criteria: Individuals were excluded from the study if they had a history of alcohol or substance abuse or dependence in the past year, or if they had any acute or unstable medical condition. Men could be of any age, while women had to be at least 2 years' postmenopause, or to have undergone an ovariectomy. Pretreatment: Unknown
Interventions	Intervention characteristics Benzodiazepine taper schedule: 2 to 3 weeks pretreatment with experimental drug, taper at the rate of 25% per week, after completion of taper experimental drug was continued for 4 weeks, then abruptly discontinued Benzodiazepine taper schedule + progesterone minimum 1200 mg/d (up to 3600 mg as tolerated) (N = 30) Benzodiazepine taper schedule + placebo (N = 13)
Outcomes	Benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms, Physician Withdrawal Checklist Benzodiazepine cessation Anxiety, HAM‐A Non‐serious adverse events: sedation
Identification	Sponsorship source: This study was supported by USPHS Research Grant MHO‐8957. Country: USA Setting: Outpatients Declarations of interest: Not mentioned Author's name: Edward Schweizer Institution: University Science Center, Suite 803, 3600 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104‐2649, USA Email: Address: University Science Center, Suite 803, 3600 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104‐2649, USA
Notes	Benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms and anxiety not reported appropriately.
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Comment: Not described
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Comment: Not described
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Quote: "under random, double‐blind conditions", "either micronized oral progesterone in 300 mg capsules or matched placebo" Comment: Described as double‐blind
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Comment: Not described
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	High risk	Comment: 8 (27%) participants in progesterone group versus 1 (8%) participant in placebo group dropped out during the pretreatment phase (due to sedation as side effect).
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	Comment: No apparent selective outcome reporting
Other bias	Low risk	Comment: No apparent other bias