Borrek 1997.

Study characteristics
Methods	Design: randomised by draw, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, cross‐over Duration: 20 to 24 weeks Interval of assessment: 4 to 3 weeks
Participants	Number randomised: 24 children and teenagers from 3 to 17 years of age Sex (M/F): 14/10 total Age of participants: 3 to 17 years (mean age = 10 years) Unit of allocation: single person Country and setting: Germany, 1 university pediatric clinic Inclusion criteria of the study Chronic recurrent atopic dermatitis at the time of enrolment in the study Was clinically symptomatic within the last 6 months Diagnostic criteria: Hanifin Rajka's criteria Severity of condition: mild to moderate Exclusion criteria of the study Epilepsy Fat storage disease Participating in another study
Interventions	Treatment group: 3 capsules daily, each with 60 mg borage seed oil and 5 mg vitamin E Placebo group: 3 capsules daily, each with 60 mg corn oil and 5 mg vitamin E
Outcomes	Costa (Costa 1989) score by clinician (method: this simple scoring system (SSS) scores 10 severity criteria (0 to 7) and 10 topographic sites (0 to 3) giving a maximum score of 100) Acute, chronic, and subjective symptoms by participants (method: diaries) Use of steroidal creme and antihistamines (method: questionnaires)
Notes	Concommitant treatment: permitted Assessment of compliance: unsure
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	Randomisation was by draw (entrance to study)
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	The trial did not specify this
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	2 participants from each group withdrew due to non‐compliance
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	The trial reported all prespecified outcomes
Other bias	Low risk	Quote (page 101): "No difference between the two groups in the most important variables"
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Quote (page 101): "Patient and examiner were blinded with respect to after completion of the capsule contents" Comment: This was adequate (both blinded)