Mori 2010

Methods	Parallel RCT
Participants	Country of study: Italy Setting: laboratory Condition: neuropathic pain secondary to multiple sclerosis Prior management details: refractory to drug management and medication discontinued over previous month n = 19 Age: 23‐69 years, mean 44.8 (SD 27.5) Duration of symptoms: 1‐10 years, mean 2.79 (SD 2.64) Gender distribution: 8 M, 11 F
Interventions	Stimulation type: tDCS Stimulation parameters: intensity 2 mA, 35 cm2 electrodes, duration 20 min Stimulation location: M1, contralateral to painful side Number of treatments: 5, x 1 daily on consecutive days Control type: sham tDCS (switched off after 30 s stimulation)
Outcomes	Primary: 0‐100 mm VAS pain, anchors "no pain" to "worst possible pain" When taken: end of treatment period and x 1 weekly over 3‐week follow‐up Secondary: QoL, multiple sclerosis QoL‐54 scale (MSQoL‐54) When taken: as for primary outcome
Notes	AEs: none COI: no declaration made Sources of support: "Italian National Ministero dell’Universita` e della Ricerca, by the Italian National Ministero della Salute, by the Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla (FISM) to DC, and by the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana to GB"
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	Quote: "Randomization was performed using the order of entrance in the study and a previous randomization list generated by a computer."
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Low risk	Comment: likely given that the randomisation list was generated pre‐study
Adequate blinding of participants?	Unclear risk	Comment: there is evidence that participant blinding of tDCS may be inadequate at 2 mA intensity (see Assessment of risk of bias in included studies)
Adequate blinding of assessors?	Unclear risk	Comment: there is evidence that assessor blinding of tDCS may be inadequate at 2 mA intensity (see Assessment of risk of bias in included studies)
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Comment: no dropouts observed Quote: "... none of the patients enrolled discontinued the study."
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	Comment: between‐group means not presented clearly to allow meta‐analysis but data provided on request
Study Size	High risk	Comment: < 50 participants per treatment arm
Study duration	Unclear risk	Comment: ≥ 2 weeks but < 8 weeks' follow‐up
Other bias	Low risk	Comment: no significant other bias detected