What do systematic reviews say?

Combination of anticholinergics + beta2‐agonists vs B2‐agonists alone

• Inhaled anticholinergics and short‐acting beta₂‐agonists versus short‐acting beta2‐agonists alone for children with… 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 269 participants
  Moderate

Beta2‐agonists vs placebo (single administration)

• Beta₂‐agonists for exercise‐induced asthma 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  72 studies · 799 participants
  Moderate

Beta2‐agonists vs placebo (single administration)

Beta2‐agonists probably leads to lower number of participants with an FEV1 fall > 10% compared with placebo (single administration) (moderate certainty).

• Beta₂‐agonists for exercise‐induced asthma 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.08 [0.06, 0.13]
  19 studies · 773 participants
  Moderate

Beta2‐agonists vs placebo (single administration)

• Beta₂‐agonists for exercise‐induced asthma 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  14 studies · 92 participants
  Low

Beta2‐agonists vs placebo (single administration)

• Beta₂‐agonists for exercise‐induced asthma 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  8 studies · 106 participants
  Low

Beta2‐agonists vs placebo (single administration)

Beta2‐agonists showed no clear difference in side effects compared with placebo (single administration) (low certainty).

• Beta₂‐agonists for exercise‐induced asthma 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.83 [0.43, 1.59]
  55 studies · 2165 participants
  Low

Combination of anticholinergics + beta2‐agonists vs B2‐agonists alone

• Inhaled anticholinergics and short‐acting beta₂‐agonists versus short‐acting beta2‐agonists alone for children with… 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 studies · 327 participants
  Moderate

Combination of anticholinergics + beta2‐agonists vs B2‐agonists alone

Combination of anticholinergics + beta2‐agonists showed no clear difference in asthma clinical scores compared with beta2‐agonists alone (moderate certainty).

• Inhaled anticholinergics and short‐acting beta₂‐agonists versus short‐acting beta2‐agonists alone for children with… 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 117 participants
  Moderate

Combination of anticholinergics + beta2‐agonists vs B2‐agonists alone

• Inhaled anticholinergics and short‐acting beta₂‐agonists versus short‐acting beta2‐agonists alone for children with… 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 210 participants
  Moderate

Combination of anticholinergics + beta2‐agonists vs B2‐agonists alone

Combination of anticholinergics + beta2‐agonists showed no clear difference in overall withdrawals compared with beta2‐agonists alone (moderate certainty).

• Inhaled anticholinergics and short‐acting beta₂‐agonists versus short‐acting beta2‐agonists alone for children with… 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.59 [0.27, 1.3]
  2 studies · 294 participants
  Moderate

Combination of anticholinergics + beta2‐agonists vs B2‐agonists alone

• Inhaled anticholinergics and short‐acting beta₂‐agonists versus short‐acting beta2‐agonists alone for children with… 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 290 participants
  Moderate

Anticholinergic and short‐acting beta2‐agonists vs B2‐agonists alone

Anticholinergic and short‐acting beta2‐agonists leads to lower primary outcome: hospital admissions hospital admissions compared with beta2‐agonists alone (all protocols) (high certainty).

• Combined inhaled anticholinergics and short‐acting beta₂‐agonists for initial treatment of acute asthma in children 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.73 [0.63, 0.85]
  19 studies · 2497 participants
  High

Long‐acting beta2‐agonists vs placebo

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Long‐acting beta₂‐agonists for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Long‐acting beta2‐agonists vs placebo

Long‐acting beta2‐agonists showed no clear difference in quality of life1 St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ); lower… compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Long‐acting beta₂‐agonists for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  17 studies · 11397 participants
  Moderate

Long‐acting beta2‐agonists vs placebo

Long‐acting beta2‐agonists probably leads to lower severe exacerbations (hospitalisations) compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Long‐acting beta₂‐agonists for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.73 [0.56, 0.95]
  7 studies · 2859 participants
  Moderate

Long‐acting beta2‐agonists vs placebo

Long‐acting beta2‐agonists probably leads to lower moderate exacerbations (course of antibiotics or oral steroids) compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Long‐acting beta₂‐agonists for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.73 [0.61, 0.87]
  7 studies · 3375 participants
  Moderate

Long‐acting beta2‐agonists vs placebo

Long‐acting beta2‐agonists showed no clear difference in severe/moderate exacerbations (hospitalisation or course of… compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Long‐acting beta₂‐agonists for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.88 [0.76, 1.02]
  7 studies · 3968 participants
  Moderate

Long‐acting beta2‐agonists vs placebo

Long‐acting beta2‐agonists showed no clear difference in mortality (all‐cause) compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Long‐acting beta₂‐agonists for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.9 [0.75, 1.08]
  23 studies · 14079 participants
  Moderate

Long‐acting beta2‐agonists vs placebo

Long‐acting beta2‐agonists showed no clear difference in participants with one or more serious adverse event (non‐fatal) compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Long‐acting beta₂‐agonists for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.97 [0.83, 1.14]
  20 studies · 12446 participants
  Moderate

Long‐acting beta2‐agonists vs placebo

Long‐acting beta2‐agonists showed no clear difference in predose FEV1 (mL) compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Long‐acting beta₂‐agonists for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  MD 73
  14 studies · 6125 participants
  Low