Xu 2006.

Study characteristics
Methods	Study design: parallel design Number of arms: 2 Experimental arm: paroxetine (SSRI) Control arm: matched placebo
Participants	Geographical location: China Setting: inpatient Stroke criteria: haemorrhagic cerebrovascular disease Method of stroke diagnosis: met the criteria of the Fourth National Symposium on Cerebrovascular Disease in 1995 and confirmation by brain CT or MRI Time since stroke: within 3 days Inclusion criteria: 1) < 75 years old; 2) no cognitive impairment affecting communication; 3) no hepatic or renal impairment; 4) stroke onset is within 3 days Exclusion criteria: 1) history of psychiatry illness Depression criteria: meeting the diagnostic criteria of DSM‐IV Total number randomised in this trial: 64 Number randomised to treatment group: 32 (53.1% men, mean age 65, SD 12) Number randomised to control group: 32 (50% men, mean age 63, SD 11) Total number included in final analysis: 57 Number included in treatment group for final analysis: 28 Number included in control group for final analysis: 29
Interventions	Treatment: paroxetine (SSRI) 20 mg/day Control: matched placebo Treatment duration: 12 weeks Follow‐up: not reported
Outcomes	Primary outcomes Depression measured using the DSM‐IV Secondary outcomes Disability measured using the MBI Impairment measures using the Modified Edinburgh Stroke Scale (MESS)
Notes
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Comments: method of sequence generation not reported
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Comments: method of allocation concealment not reported
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Comments: blinding of participants and personnel not reported
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Comments: blinding of outcome assessors not reported
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Comments: ITT analysis reported but 7/64 dropped out, how missing data were handled was not reported
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Unclear risk	Comments: no trial protocol available to compare with the publication
Other bias	Low risk	Comments: no differences in age, gender, Modified Edinburgh Stroke Scale or ADL scales

*: control group numbers and values halved to enable comparison with each active intervention

^: results for attention control and control group pooled

ADL: activities of daily living

BDI: Beck Depression Inventory

BI: Barthel Index

BOP: Beoordelingsschaal voor Oudere Patiënten (also known as Behavioural Rating Scale)

CES‐D: Center for Epidemiologic Studies‐Depression scale

CGI: Clinical Global Impression of Depression

CT: computed tomography

CVA: cerebrovascular accident

DSM‐IV: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders‐ Fourth Edition

FIM: Functional Independence Measure

GDS: Geriatric Depression Scale

GHQ‐28: 28‐item General Health Questionnaire

HADS: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale

HDRS: Hamilton Depression Rating Scale

HSS: Hemispheric Stroke Scale

ICD‐10: International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision

IM: intramuscular

ITT: intention‐to‐treat

IQR: interquartile range

MADRS: Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale

MBI: Modified Barthel Index

MCA: middle cerebral artery

mRS: modified Rankin Scale

MMSE: Mini Mental State Examination

MRI: magnetic resonance imaging

PHQ‐9: 9‐item Patient Health Questionaire

QoL: quality of life

RS: Rankin Scale

SD: standard deviation

SE: standard error

SNRI: serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors

SSRI: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

TIA: transient ischaemic attack

ZDS: Zung Depression Scale