Menigaux 2002.

Methods	RCT, parallel design
Participants	Total number of randomized participants: 50 Inclusion criteria: 18‐70 years of age; ASA status I or II; scheduled for elective non‐cranial surgery Exclusion criteria: neurological, cardiac, or metabolic disease; chronic hypertension; asthma or reactive airway disease; cardiovascular or beta‐blocker medication; routine use of analgesics or hypnotic medication; drug or alcohol abuse; obesity Type of surgery: elective non‐cranial surgery Baseline characteristics Intervention group (esmolol) Age, mean (range): 37 (19‐53) years Gender, M/F: 15/10 Control group (placebo) Age, mean (range): 36 (18‐54) years Gender, M/F: 18/7 Country: France Setting: hospital; single centre
Interventions	Intervention group (esmolol) Randomized, n = 25; losses = 0; analysed, n = 25 Details: during anaesthesia, bolus of esmolol 1 mg/kg followed by an infusion of 250 µg/kg/min Control group (placebo) Randomized, n = 25; losses = 0; analysed, n = 25 Details: comparable volume of saline given
Outcomes	Outcomes measured/reported by study authors: BIS values; haemodynamic variables; response to laryngoscopy and intubation; hypotension (MAP < 60 mmHg); bradycardia (HR < 50 bpm) Outcomes relevant to the review: bradycardia; hypotension
Notes	Funding/declarations of interest: supported by NIH grant, the Joseph Down Foundation, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky Research Challenge Trust Fund. Authors declare no financial interests in the research Study dates: not reported
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	Computer‐generated randomization
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Not specified
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Quote: "Patients and personnel involved in patient management and data collection were unaware of the group allocation" Comment: to ensure blinding, hospital pharmacists prepared syringes
Blinding of outcome assessors (detection bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Quote: "Patients and personnel involved in patient management and data collection were unaware of the group allocation"
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	No apparent losses
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Unclear risk	Study authors did not report prospective clinical trial registration or publication of a protocol. It was not feasible to effectively assess risk of reporting bias
Other bias	Low risk	Not detected