Spudis 1973.

Methods	Randomised controlled trial. Participants were divided according to random number tables.
Participants	It is not possible to be certain of the setting, but it was probably a single hospital in the USA, as far as can be determined from the report. Participants were 59 people of any age and both sexes with onset of moderate to severe paralysis of less than 24 hours duration. 30 people with an average age of 70 years received the experimental intervention. 29 people with an average age of 71 years who received a placebo. Exclusion criteria: Hypertension Suspected intracranial haemorrhage Insulin‐dependant diabetes Potential emboli Pulmonary or renal disease. Usual medications were continued, but all who had been given any new medication between the time of onset and initial examination were rejected.
Interventions	Low molecular weight Dextran was given to people in the experimental group (500 cc in 10% glucose in water over one hour as a loading dose, followed by 1000 cc each 24 hours for three days. No details are available about whether the control group received a placebo transfusion. Dextran 40 is a glucose polymer used as a plasma volume expander and anticoagulant. All other medications, nursing and rehabilitative treatments were carried out as normal.
Outcomes	Language function was divided into 4 categories for assessment‐ normal, mild nonfluency, dysphasia, aphasia. No definitions of these terms was given in the report. The authors report that there were fewer cases of restoration of language in the treatment group than in the control group.
Notes
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Allocation concealment?	Unclear risk	B ‐ Unclear