Davidson 2001.

Methods	Quasi‐randomised controlled trial Study period: 6 month period, before June 2000
Participants	Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool, UK 201 children with torus fractures of the distal radius Exclusion: None described Sex: 107 male (53.2%) Age: mean 8.9 years (2 to 15) Fracture type: torus Assigned: 116 (splint) / 85 (cast) Analysed: 98 / 81 (ignores the 2 excluded, 1 of which was in the splint group)
Interventions	1. Futura‐type wrist splint sized and fitted by doctor or nurse. Written instructions provided to participants and parents, including removal for bathing and reapplication of splint; advice for use with discharge after first visit; removal at follow‐up clinic 2. Standard full ‘Colles type’ (full below‐elbow) plaster of Paris cast applied by plaster technician; removal at follow‐up clinic Seen at A&E department, radiograph diagnosis. Fracture immobilised by a metal splint held in place by a crepe bandage and participant referred to fracture clinic. Follow‐up appointment at 3 weeks; discharged if no complications after removal of splint / cast and clinical examination and radiograph and questioning
Outcomes	Length of follow‐up: 3 weeks Function data: not reported, no formal data collection Non‐union or loss of position: 3 weeks Compliance Protocol violation Costs
Funding and declarations of interest	Funding source: authors stated that no benefits in any form were received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of the article Declarations of interest: not stated
Notes
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	High risk	Quote: “They were randomised into two groups depending on the day on which they attended clinic, which was usually the day after injury.” Quasi‐randomised
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	High risk	Quote: “They were randomised into two groups depending on the day on which they attended clinic, which was usually the day after injury.” No allocation concealment
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) Objective outcomes	High risk	Not blinded
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) Objective outcomes	High risk	Not blinded
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) Objective outcomes	High risk	Difference in losses between groups: 18/116 (15.5%) versus 4/85 (4.7%)
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	High risk	No protocol or trial registration. Insufficient detail on outcome recording and reporting. No mention of function
Other bias: major imbalance in baseline characteristics	Unclear risk	No data provided
Other bias: performance bias	High risk	Insufficient details on care personnel to make a judgement. No mention of written instructions for plaster cast use
Other bias	Low risk	None detected