Torrazza 2015.

Methods	RCT
Participants	Sixty‐one infants born at postmenstrual age > 23 weeks but ≤ 32 weeks with birth weight ≤ 1250 g and without congenital or chromosomal anomalies or gastrointestinal malformations who were receiving some enteral nutrition by 48 hours of age
Interventions	Infants were randomised before 48 hours of life to: ‐ Routine monitoring of gastric residuals before every feeding ‐ No monitoring of gastric residuals
Outcomes	Primary outcome: Enteral intake at 2 weeks and days to reach 120 mL/kg/d of enteral feedings Secondary outcomes: Enteral intake at 3 weeks, days to reach 150 mL/kg/d, growth indices (weight, head circumference, and length) at 3 weeks, TPN days, CVL days, incidence of NEC, sepsis, and parental nutrition‐associated liver disease
Notes	Enteral feeds were started at 20 mL/kg/d and were increased by 20 mL/kg/d. Both human milk and preterm formula were used for feeding. Abdominal distension/discolouration/tenderness, emesis, gastric residual > 50% of the feed volume or bilious aspirates were taken as signs of feed intolerance, and an abdominal radiograph was taken. If the radiograph was normal, feeds were continued; increasing length of feeds to 30 to 50 minutes; decreasing feed volume, or changing to continuous feeds was considered. If the radiograph was abnormal, feeds were withheld for 24 hours followed by reassessment
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	A computer‐generated block randomisation sequence with variable block sizes was used
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Low risk	The randomisation sequence was kept in sequentially numbered sealed opaque envelopes
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	High risk	Open‐label trial
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	High risk	Open‐label trial
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	All 61 randomised infants were included in the analysis
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	Study protocol had been published. All proposed outcomes were reported
Other bias	Low risk	Nil

CVL: central venous line.

NEC: necrotising enterocolitis.

RCT: randomised controlled trial.

TPN: total parenteral nutrition.