Lee 2008.

Methods	Study design: open‐label, parallel RCT Study duration: July 2004 to April 2005 Duration of follow‐up: 12 weeks
Participants	Country: Korea Setting: multicentre Regular HD ≥ 3 months; age ≥18 years; stable EPO dose 3000 to 12,000 U/wk. Hb 9 to 12 g/dL; stable iron stores Number: treatment group 1 (44); treatment group 2 (39) Mean age ± SD (years): treatment group 1 (55.7 ± 10.1); treatment group 2 (53.3 ± 12.9) Sex (M/F): treatment group 1 (24/20); treatment group 2 (23/16) Exclusion criteria: uncontrolled HT; DBP ≥110 mm Hg; hyperparathyroidism ≥ 800 pg/mL; acute infection/inflammation; severe CCF; GI bleed; pregnancy; immunosuppressive or androgen therapy; malignancy; epilepsy; transfused ≤ 2 months previous; sensitivity to EPO
Interventions	Treatment group 1 EPO: SC once/wk for 12 weeks Starting dose previous total weekly dose Treatment group 2 EPO: SC 2 to 3 times/wk for 12 weeks Continue previous dose Other information Type of ESA: EPO alfa Dose adjusted in both groups to maintain Hb level at 9 to 12.0 g/dL Co‐interventions All received IV iron therapy
Outcomes	Final Hb at 12 weeks Mean EPO dose at week 10 Proportion of patients keeping a stable Hb level Adverse effects
Notes
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Insufficient information about sequence generation process to permit judgement
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Low risk	Randomised by central randomisation. Stratified for EPO dose
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Open‐label study but primary outcome was laboratory measure and unlikely to be subject to bias
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Open‐label study but primary outcome was laboratory measure and unlikely to be subject to bias
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	Reported ITT and PP data. Loss to follow‐up/withdrawal post randomisation: 4 in each group (protocol violation; dose change in study period; Hb ≥ 12 at randomisation). Loss to follow‐up unlikely to influence results
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	High risk	No information on mortality and incomplete information on adverse effects
Other bias	High risk	Supported/funded by LG Life Sciences Co Ltd