Moderate exacerbations (course of antibiotics or oral steroids) · patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Long‐acting beta2‐agonists probably leads to lower moderate exacerbations (course of antibiotics or oral steroids) compared with placebo (moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Number of participants experiencing one or more episode requiring treatment with oral steroids · adults and children with chronic asthma
Combination fluticasone/salmeterol showed no clear difference in participants experiencing exacerbations requiring oral steroid… compared with budesonide/formoterol (moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Mean exacerbations requiring a course of oral corticosteroids · children with asthma
1 finding from 1 review
Mean exacerbations requiring a course of oral corticosteroids · patients with children with asthma
1 finding from 1 review
Exacerbations requiring oral corticosteroids ‐ adults · people with asthma
Formoterol probably leads to lower patients with an exacerbation requiring a course of oral… compared with short‐acting beta2‐agonist (moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Relapse · patients with acute asthma
Intramuscular corticosteroids showed no clear difference in relapse compared with oral corticosteroids (low certainty).
3 findings from 1 review
RR 0.94 [0.72, 1.24]
9 studies · 804 participants
Low
RR 0.74 [0.51, 1.07]
7 studies · 742 participants
Moderate
RR 0.99 [0.74, 1.33]
5 studies · 556 participants
Low
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
Health outcomes Peak expiratory flow readings (higher readings indicate better peak flow) · patients with acute asthma
1 finding from 1 review
Persistence of symptoms · patients with acute asthma
Intramuscular corticosteroids showed no clear difference in symptom persistence compared with oral corticosteroids (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
24‐hour beta agonist use · patients with acute asthma
Intramuscular corticosteroids showed no clear difference in 24‐hour beta agonist use compared with oral corticosteroids (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Mortality after discharge (1‐3 months) · exacerbations of COPD
Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid showed no clear difference in mortality after discharge (1‐3 months) compared with oral corticosteroid (moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Length of hospitalisation (days) · exacerbations of COPD
1 finding from 1 review
Adverse drug effect—hyperglycaemia · exacerbations of COPD
Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid probably leads to higher adverse drug effect ‐ hyperglycaemia compared with oral corticosteroid (moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Arterial blood gas tension: PaO2 after 3 months mmHg · exacerbations of COPD
1 finding from 1 review
Treatment failure Need for additional treatment · exacerbations of COPD
Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid showed no clear difference in treatment failure Need to intensify therapy compared with oral corticosteroid (moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Relapse Hospital readmission for COPD · exacerbations of COPD
Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid showed no clear difference in relapse Hospital readmission for COPD compared with oral corticosteroid (moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Breathlessness ‐ early effect VAS 0‐10. Scale from: 0 to 10. · exacerbations of COPD
1 finding from 1 review
Asthma relapse1at 16 to 21 days · patients with acute asthma following emergency department discharge
Any ICS showed no clear difference in asthma relapse1at 16 to 21 days compared with oral corticosteroid (moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Hospital admissions · patients with acute asthma following emergency department discharge
Any ICS showed no clear difference in hospital admission compared with oral corticosteroid (moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Hoarseness at 16 to 21 days · patients with acute asthma following emergency department discharge
Any ICS showed no clear difference in hoarseness at 16 to 21 days compared with oral corticosteroid (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review