Price 1998.

Methods	Randomisation: sealed and numbered envelopes. Blinding: mother and outcome assessments. Criteria for rescue: additional analgesia delivered as 10 mL bupivacaine 0.25%. Statistics not performed on intention‐to‐treat basis.
Participants	Inclusions: 100 women in labour cervix < 6 cm dilated. Exclusions: pethidine < 3 hr before epidural request, pregnancy‐induced hypertension. No. lost to follow‐up = 7.
Interventions	Epidural (n = 48): 15 mL bupivacaine 0.1% + fentanyl 75 µg bolus then PCEA 10 mL bupivacaine 0.1% + fentanyl 2 µg/mL with 30 min lockout. CSE (n = 45): single space, needle‐through‐needle, lateral position, IT LA: 2.5 mg bupivacaine + 25 µg fentanyl then PCEA 15 mL 0.1% bupivacaine + fentanyl 2 µg/mL, 30 min.
Outcomes	Pain scores and motor block at 0, 30, 60, 180 min. Maternal confidence in walking. Time to first epidural top‐up and need for additional analgesia. Adverse effects: hypotension (no definition given), pruritus, need for urinary catheterisation. Maternal satisfaction postpartum #1.
Notes	UK.
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Method of randomisation not stated.
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Low risk	Used "sealed, numbered envelopes".
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes	Low risk	The patient and the investigator were blinded.
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	There was no loss to follow‐up and drop out was similar in both groups (7 in total).
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	Primary and secondary outcomes are reported.
Other bias	Low risk	No other bias evident.