Findings

What do systematic reviews say?

28 questions · 28 findings · 15 reviews · Airways

Sort:Best matchNewest Highest certainty Download CSV

No studies found 1 · 3.6%GRADE not reported 0 · 0%Very low 5 · 17.9%Low 11 · 39.3%Moderate 9 · 32.1%High 2 · 7.1%

Intramuscular corticosteroids vs oral corticosteroid

Adverse events · patients with acute asthma

Intramuscular corticosteroids showed no clear difference in adverse events compared with oral corticosteroids (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Intramuscular versus oral corticosteroids to reduce relapses following discharge from the emergency department for… 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.83 [0.64, 1.07]
5 studies · 404 participants
Low

Corticosteroids vs placebo

Number of participants experiencing any serious adverse events · Children with obstructive sleep apnoea (aged 15 years or younger)

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

1 finding from 1 review

Anti‐inflammatory medications for obstructive sleep apnoea in children 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
no estimate extracted
Studies not reported
No studies found

Inhaled corticosteroids plus standard care vs placebo or usual care

Adverse events · adults with a confirmed diagnosis of mild COVID‐19, of whom only 10% (219/2132) participants had received ≥ 1 vaccination

Inhaled corticosteroids plus standard care showed no clear difference in adverse events compared with standard care (with or without placebo) (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Inhaled corticosteroids for the treatment of COVID‐19 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.78 [0.47, 1.31]
1 study · 400 participants
Low

A boost of inhaled corticosteroids vs usual care

Adverse events · autumn asthma exacerbations in children

A boost of inhaled corticosteroids showed no clear difference in adverse events compared with usual care (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Interventions for autumn exacerbations of asthma in children 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
OR 0.67 [0.34, 1.33]
1 study · 176 participants
Moderate

Inhaled corticosteroids plus standard care vs placebo or usual care

Serious adverse events · adults with a confirmed diagnosis of mild COVID‐19, of whom only 10% (219/2132) participants had received ≥ 1 vaccination

It is very uncertain whether inhaled corticosteroids plus standard care changes serious adverse events compared with standard care (with or without placebo) (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Inhaled corticosteroids for the treatment of COVID‐19 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 0.51 [0.09, 2.76]
1 study · 1586 participants
Very low

Increased vs stable doses of inhaled corticosteroids

Serious adverse events 48 weeks · adults and children with chronic asthma

It is very uncertain whether increased changes serious adverse events 48 weeks compared with stable doses of inhaled corticosteroids (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Increased versus stable doses of inhaled corticosteroids for exacerbations of chronic asthma in adults and children 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
OR 1.69 [0.77, 3.71]
2 studies · 394 participants
Very low

Increased vs stable doses of inhaled corticosteroids

Non‐serious adverse events 43 weeks · adults and children with chronic asthma

It is very uncertain whether increased changes non‐serious adverse events 43 weeks compared with stable doses of inhaled corticosteroids (very low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Increased versus stable doses of inhaled corticosteroids for exacerbations of chronic asthma in adults and children 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
OR 2.15 [0.68, 6.73]
2 studies · 142 participants
Very low

Stopping LABA vs continuing use of LABA+ICS

Adverse events (all) · adults with asthma well controlled on LABA and ICS

Stopping LABA showed no clear difference in adverse events (all) compared with continuing use of LABA+ICS (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Stopping long‐acting beta₂‐agonists (LABA) for adults with asthma well controlled by LABA and inhaled corticosteroids 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
OR 0.83 [0.66, 1.05]
5 studies · 1339 participants
Moderate

LAMA add‐on vs long‐acting beta2‐agonists (LABA) add‐on

Adverse events (all) · adults with asthma not well controlled on ICS

Long‐acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA) add‐on showed no clear difference in adverse events (all) compared with long‐acting beta2‐agonists (LABA) add‐on (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Long‐acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA) added to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) versus addition of long‐acting… 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
OR 1.11 [0.92, 1.35]
3 studies · 1839 participants
Moderate

Intervention not reported

Serious adverse events · children with chronic asthma

The intervention showed no clear difference in serious adverse events (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Addition of long‐acting beta₂‐agonists to inhaled corticosteroids for chronic asthma in children 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.54 [0.81, 2.94]
7 studies · 1343 participants
Moderate

Intervention not reported

Serious adverse events · children with chronic asthma

The intervention showed no clear difference in serious adverse events (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Addition of long‐acting beta₂‐agonists to inhaled corticosteroids for chronic asthma in children 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.17 [0.75, 1.85]
16 studies · 4022 participants
Moderate

LABA/ICS vs LTRA + ICS

Serious adverse events · patients with chronic asthma

LABA + ICS showed no clear difference in serious adverse events compared with LTRA + ICS (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Addition to inhaled corticosteroids of long‐acting beta₂‐agonists versus anti‐leukotrienes for chronic asthma 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.33 [0.99, 1.79]
9 studies · 6288 participants
Moderate

Intervention not reported

Any adverse events 49 weeks · adults with asthma

The intervention leads to lower any adverse events 49 weeks (high certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Long‐acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA) added to combination long‐acting beta₂‐agonists and inhaled corticosteroids… 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
OR 0.7 [0.52, 0.94]
3 studies · 1197 participants
High

LAMA add‐on vs ICS alone

Any adverse events 24 weeks · adults with asthma not well controlled on ICS

LAMA add‐on showed no clear difference in any adverse events 24 weeks compared with ICS alone (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Long‐acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA) added to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) versus the same dose of ICS alone for… 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
OR 0.95 [0.8, 1.14]
5 studies · 2562 participants
Low

Intervention not reported

Total number of adverse events · children with chronic asthma

The intervention showed no clear difference in total number of adverse events (high certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Addition of long‐acting beta₂‐agonists to inhaled corticosteroids for chronic asthma in children 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.01 [0.92, 1.1]
6 studies · 1254 participants
High

Intervention not reported

Total number of adverse events · children with chronic asthma

The intervention showed no clear difference in total number of adverse events (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Addition of long‐acting beta₂‐agonists to inhaled corticosteroids for chronic asthma in children 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
RR 1.04 [0.98, 1.1]
15 studies · 3284 participants
Moderate

Intervention not reported

Serious adverse events 49 weeks · adults with asthma

The intervention showed no clear difference in serious adverse events 49 weeks (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Long‐acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA) added to combination long‐acting beta₂‐agonists and inhaled corticosteroids… 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
OR 0.6 [0.24, 1.47]
3 studies · 1197 participants
Low

Stopping LABA vs continuing use of LABA+ICS

Serious adverse events 17 weeks · adults with asthma well controlled on LABA and ICS

Stopping LABA showed no clear difference in serious adverse events 17 weeks compared with continuing use of LABA+ICS (moderate certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Stopping long‐acting beta₂‐agonists (LABA) for adults with asthma well controlled by LABA and inhaled corticosteroids 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
OR 0.82 [0.28, 2.42]
5 studies · 1342 participants
Moderate

LAMA add‐on vs long‐acting beta2‐agonists (LABA) add‐on

Serious adverse events 22 weeks · adults with asthma not well controlled on ICS

Long‐acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA) add‐on showed no clear difference in serious adverse events 22 weeks compared with long‐acting beta2‐agonists (LABA) add‐on (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Long‐acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA) added to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) versus addition of long‐acting… 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
OR 0.84 [0.41, 1.73]
4 studies · 2012 participants
Low

LAMA add‐on vs ICS alone

All‐cause serious adverse events 24 weeks · adults with asthma not well controlled on ICS

LAMA add‐on showed no clear difference in all‐cause serious adverse events 24 weeks compared with ICS alone (low certainty).

1 finding from 1 review

Long‐acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA) added to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) versus the same dose of ICS alone for… 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
OR 0.6 [0.23, 1.57]
5 studies · 2562 participants
Low