Blum 2015.

Methods	Multi‐centre. randomized, placebo‐controlled, 2‐parallel‐group study Dates study was conducted: from December 2009 to May 2014
Participants	Adults (n = 800) patients hospitalized with community‐acquired pneumonia Subgroups based on adrenal status assessed by a 250‐µg ACTH test Setting: emergency and medical wards Study location: Switzerland
Interventions	Prednisone 50 mg per day for 7 days Placebo
Outcomes	Primary Clinical stability Secondary All‐cause mortality within 30 and 180 days post randomization ICU admission and length of stay Duration of antibiotic treatment Disease activity scores Adverse events
Notes	We contacted study authors and obtained access to trial protocol and some missing data Funding source: Swiss National Science Foundation, Viollier AG, Nora van Meeuwen Haefliger Stiftung, Julia und Gottfried Bangerter‐Rhyner Stiftung
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	Computer‐generated randomization list
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Low risk	Randomization was centralized Generator and executor of randomization were separated Variable block sizes of 4 to 6
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Participants: yes Caregivers: yes Data collectors: yes Outcome assessors: yes Data analysts: yes
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Lost to follow‐up: none
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	Outcomes reported matched outcomes planned by trial protocol, which was publicly released before the end of the recruitment period
Other bias	Low risk	Contact with trial authors; access to trial protocol but could not identify areas of bias