Wang 2014.
Methods | Design: parallel RCT Randomisation method: random number table Blinding: no Power calculation: no Dropouts/withdrawals: no |
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Participants | People with gastric cancer with expected survival time of > 3 months; Karnofsky ≥ 60 They also needed to meet the criteria of Chinese medicine syndrome of insufficiency of heart and spleen. Number (treatment/control): 72 (37/35) Mean age: 52.7 Gender (M/F): 42/30 Country: Zhejiang province and Shanghai city, China Setting: hospital |
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Interventions | Indirect moxa cone on herbal paste vs conventional medicine Treatment group
Control group
Chemotherapy
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Outcomes | Hematologic (adults) (WHO grade 3 to 4), WBC count, Hb, platelets at the end of treatment | |
Notes | — | |
Risk of bias | ||
Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
Random sequence generation (selection bias) | Low risk | Random number table |
Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Unclear risk | No relevant description |
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes | Low risk | There was no loss to follow‐up. All participants were included in the analysis. |
Selective reporting (reporting bias) | Unclear risk | Limited outcome measures were reported. |
Other bias | Unclear risk | It was mentioned that the groups were comparable, but no baseline characteristics data were presented. |
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes | High risk | No blinding |
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) Subjective outcomes | Unclear risk | No subjective outcome was reported. |
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) Objective outcomes | Low risk | No blinding; however, machine‐measured objective outcomes were not influenced substantially |