Dover 1984 (GMW).

Study characteristics
Methods	RCT Subgroup of Dover 1984 (stroke unit vs general medical ward)
Participants	People with stroke up to 9 weeks after stroke onset (majority within 3 weeks) Fit for transfer to rehabilitation ward
Interventions	Stroke rehabilitation ward (dedicated stroke unit) (n = 98) vs general medical ward (n = 89) Organised care provided for months if required
Outcomes	Death, Rankin score, place of residence, length of stay in hospital up to 1 year after stroke
Notes	Stroke severity subgroup data inferred from distribution in the whole group
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	"Random allocation ... by the secretary opening the next in a stack of serially numbered sealed envelopes"
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Low risk	Adequate allocation concealment
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Difficult to conceal
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	High risk	Unblinded outcome assessment
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Missing outcome data explained; broadly similar numbers between intervention and control groups
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Unclear risk	Rankin score pre‐specified but not reported Disability reported in an alternate way