A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included data from 7 studies (4 adult, 3 paediatric) with a total of 376 subjects. Patients treated with inhaled corticosteroids were less likely to be admitted to hospital (OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.57). This benefit was only observed in patients not receiving concomitant systemic steroids (OR 0.21; 95% CI: 0.08, 0.53). Patients receiving inhaled corticosteroids also demonstrated small, significant improvements in peak expiratory flows (PEFR WMD: 8%; 95% CI 3 to 13 %) and forced expiratory volumes (FEV1 WMD: 5%; 95% CI 0.4 to 10 %).
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by sparse data but upgraded by large magnitude of effect.
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