Molnar 2004a.

Methods	RCT: "the study design was prospective, randomised, controlled, blinded, multi‐center and web‐based".
Participants	23 patients (age range 20‐70 years, mean 46 years; TBSA 5%‐40%, mean TBSA 16%) with bilateral hand burns treated within 24 h of burn injury.
Interventions	NPWT (125 mmHg pressure) applied for 48 h or silver sulfadiazine (SSD).
Outcomes	Rate of burn healing, volume of hand as determined by fluid displacement, range of motion, grip and pinch strength.
Notes	Only conference abstract available, which was an interim report on first 23 patients recruited.
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Not specified, although participants were reported as "randomised" to either the treatment or control group.
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Not reported.
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) participants	High risk	Not possible due to nature of intervention.
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) personnel delivering intervention	High risk	Not possible due to nature of intervention.
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) outcome assessors	Low risk	Blinding of principal investigator used to determine rate of burn healing (personal communication with study author, information not available in abstract).
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Interim report only; no attrition reported at this point in trial.
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	All pre‐specified outcomes presented in interim report.
Other bias	Low risk	No other concerns.

Abbreviations

h = hour(s)
 NPWT = negative pressure wound therapy
 SSD = silver sulfadiazine
 TBSA: total burn surface area