De Sanctis 2001.

Methods	Placebo‐controlled RCT.
Participants	30 participants with ST confirmed by colour duplex ultrasonography and varicose veins; mean age 51 years; 17 males, 13 females. Not reported if participants were hospitalised or non‐hospitalised.
Interventions	Essaven gel (5 cm of gel). Placebo (5 cm of gel). Study treatment given for 4 weeks.
Outcomes	Mean decrease in temperature, mean symptomatic score (local pain, disability, swelling).
Notes	All participants received LMWH (clexane 0.1 mL/10 kg of bodyweight od) for 4 weeks and elastic compression stockings. Funding: not reported. Disclosure of potential COI: not reported, no COI forms available.
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Method of random sequence generation not reported. "the randomization process was controlled by an external statistical controller according to GCP rules."
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Method of allocation concealment not reported.
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Double‐blind study. "Placebo comparable to Essaven gel was used," "operators were unaware of the contents of the tube."
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	No missing outcome data.
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	All prespecified outcomes reported.