Watson 1998.

Study characteristics
Methods	Quasi‐RCT; parallel design Review comparison group: DHS versus Medoff
Participants	Total number of randomised participants: 178 participants, 182 hips Inclusion criteria: intertrochanteric hip fracture Exclusion criteria: previous hip fracture or surgery; pathological fractures  Setting: hospital, single centre, USA Baseline characteristics (data only reported for participants followed up at 6 months) Intervention group 1 (DHS) Fracture classification, stable/unstable, n: 29/62; 4 of unstable classed as reverse oblique Intervention group 1 (Medoff) Fracture classification, stable/unstable, n: 17/69; 4 of unstable classed as reverse oblique Overall: Age, mean (SD): 76 (25 to 99) years Gender, M/F: 61/117 Note: study authors do not report baseline characteristics by group; and do not provide: smoking history, medication, BMI, comorbidities, mobility assessment/use of walking aides, place of residence, cognitive status/dementia, ASA status, preoperative waiting time
Interventions	General details: surgery within 48 hours; performed by resident staff supervised by 1 of 4 attending staff; prophylactic antibiotics for 48 hours; closed suction drainage for 36 hours; compression stockings; subcutaneous heparin; mobilised on second day; weight bearing where appropriate; follow‐up at 2 and 6 weeks, 3, 6 and 12 months Intervention group 1: Dynamic hip screw (Synthes, Paoli, PA); four‐hole plate Number randomised = unclear; 91 available at follow‐up Intervention group 2: Medoff sliding plate (Wright Medical, Arlington TN); femoral head fixation with a single screw; four‐hole plate if stable fracture pattern, six‐hole if unstable Number randomised = unclear; 69 available at follow‐up Note: 10 died during hospital stay, 12 lost to follow‐up at 6 months 160 followed up at 6 (range 6 to 26) months
Outcomes	Outcomes measured/reported by study authors: blood loss, ambulatory function; living status; pain; time to union; LOS; fixation failure; mortality Outcomes relevant to the review: mortality (in hospital) Note: study authors report overall hospital mortality, but not reported by group and therefore we could not use these data.
Notes	Funding/sponsor/declarations of interest: not reported Study dates: November 1994 to December 1996 Note: we did not complete risk of bias assessment because we were unable to use any outcome data in the review.