Kernan 2003.

Methods	A randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial to test the effect of pioglitazone compared with placebo for improving insulin sensitivity among non‐diabetic patients with a recent TIA or non‐disabling ischaemic stroke
Participants	Non‐diabetic men and women aged > 45 years with TIA or non‐disabling ischaemic stroke were included. 20 eligible patients from 3 hospitals were randomised as 1:1 into the trial.
Interventions	Pioglitazone 45 mg per day or placebo was given for 3 months.
Outcomes	Mean proportional changes in insulin sensitivity; mean C‐reactive protein concentration; adverse events
Notes	A repeated oral glucose tolerance test was done at the endpoint of the 3 months of therapy. The mean age was 66 years among participants assigned to pioglitazone and 67 years among participants assigned to placebo.
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	A master schedule of computer‐generated random treatment assignments (placebo or pioglitazone) was stored at the investigational pharmacy at Yale‐New Haven hospital.
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Low risk	After screening for eligibility, a research associate contacted the investigational pharmacist, who assigned the participant to the next available treatment as specified by the master schedule.
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Participants were blinded to treatment assignment throughout the study.
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Research staff and investigators were blinded to treatment assignment throughout the study.
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	No participant permanently discontinued the treatment.
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	All prespecified outcomes were reported.
Other bias	Low risk	The study was funded by an investigator‐initiated grant from Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America. Takeda had no involvement in data collection, data analysis, or report composition. By contract, Takeda could not suppress publication of this report.