Study:McKinsey 1989. Outcome: 2‐year survival
Confounding domains	Measured variable(s)	Is there evidence that controlling for this variable was unnecessary?	Is the confounding domain measured validly and reliably?	OPTIONAL Is failure to adjust for this variable expected to favour intervention or comparator
Severity of PDH	Not defined or reported	No	No	—
Severity of HIV	Not defined or reported	No	No	—
Comorbidities and comedications	Not reported	No	No	—
Cointerventions	Is there evidence that controlling for this cointervention was unnecessary?		Is presence of this cointervention likely to favour outcomes in the intervention or comparator?
ART at time of PDH diagnosis	No. No report of ART use.		—
Supportive therapy	No. Not described.		—
Bias domain	Signalling questions	Comments		Risk of bias judgement
Bias due to confounding	1.1–1.8	Confounding domains were not controlled for. Rationale for selection of treatment regimen not described. No report of ART use, CD4 counts, or clinical condition of participants.		Critical
Bias in participant selection	2.1–2.5	—		—
Bias in classification of intervention	3.1–3.3	—		—
Bias due to deviations from intended intervention	4.1–4.6	—		—
Bias due to missing data	5.1–5.5	—		—
Bias in measurement of outcomes	6.1–6.4	—		—
Bias in selection of reported result	7.1–7.3	—		—
Overall bias				CRITICAL