| Methods |
Double‐blind, randomised, placebo‐controlled trial |
| Participants |
47 participants
Eligibility criteria: by attending physician and confirmed by a positive monospot test |
| Interventions |
Intervention: oral prednisolone 60 mg tapered over 6 days
Control: placebo |
| Outcomes |
Resolution of symptoms of fatigue and sore throat. Time of absence from work/school, rate of return to social activity, level of pharyngeal secretions and ability to concentrate |
| Notes |
— |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Low risk |
States "predetermined randomisation schedule" |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Schedule held by pharmacy |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias)
All outcomes |
Unclear risk |
Does not state who was blinded |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
44/47 completed the trial |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Unclear risk |
— |
| Other bias |
Unclear risk |
— |
