Paton 2004.

Study characteristics
Methods	Design: prospective Unit of randomization: baby
Participants	Location/Setting: single centre; Blackburn Royal Infirmary Sample size: 48 babies (75 dislocatable hips) Number of withdrawals/dropouts: not stated Sex: not stated Mean age: early splintage group = 6.4 (range 1 – 14) days. In the late splintage group, four babies were splinted after the age of 6 weeks. Graf: not reported Inclusion criteria: all babies with clinical suspicion of instability were assessed both clinically and by ultrasound within 2 weeks of birth, the majority being within 1 week. Exclusion criteria: not stated
Interventions	Intervention (sample size): early splintage (n = 37 babies; 59 hips). Splinted by Pavlik bracing within 2 weeks of birth. The mean duration of splintage was 6.4 (range 4 – 12) weeks. Control (sample size): late splintage (n = 11 babies; 16 hips)
Outcomes	Primary outcome(s): need for operative intervention to address dysplasia Secondary outcome(s): avascular necrosis; late splintage Timing of outcome assessment: not stated
Notes	Study start date: January 1992/January 1998 Study end date: December 1997/December 1999 Funding source: not stated Conflicts of interest: not stated Comment(s): none