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Search review questions

Each row is one question a systematic review asked: who, what, compared with what, and which outcome, with the effect it found and how certain that is. Words match anywhere in the field.

Limit to evidence status or GRADE (optional)

2,325 questions in 216 reviews · Airways

current versions
No studies 249 · 10.7%Ungraded 107 · 4.6%Very low 276 · 11.9%Low 751 · 32.3%Moderate 718 · 30.9%High 224 · 9.6%

Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.

QuestionEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Long‐acting muscarinic antagonists (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) added to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) versus addition of… (2015) · Cochrane
OR 1.11 [0.92, 1.35]3 studies · 1839 participantsModerate
Testosterone therapy vs placebo
Sexual satisfaction for people with COPD 7‐point Likert scale. Scale from: 0 (best) to 6 (worst). · Men with COPD
Interventions for sexual dysfunction in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (2015) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 24 participantsLow
Testosterone therapy vs placebo
Sexual function International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). Scale from: 0 to 25. · Men with COPD
Interventions for sexual dysfunction in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (2015) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 24 participantsLow
Testosterone therapy vs placebo
Adverse events (all cause) · Men with COPD
Interventions for sexual dysfunction in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (2015) · Cochrane
RR 1.07 [0.07, 15.54]1 study · 29 participantsLow
Intervention NR
Exercise capacity (5‐ or 6‐minute walking distance on cylinder air) · adults with COPD who had exertional dyspnoea but did not fulfil the criteria for long‐term oxygen treatment
Ambulatory oxygen for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who are not hypoxaemic at rest (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted4 studies · 331 participantsUngraded
Intervention NR
Mortality · adults with COPD who had exertional dyspnoea but did not fulfil the criteria for long‐term oxygen treatment
Ambulatory oxygen for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who are not hypoxaemic at rest (2014) · Cochrane
RR 4.17 [0.48, 36.3]2 studies · 179 participantsModerate
Intervention NR
Quality of life (dyspnoea) Measured on the CRQ, the output is a number from 0 to 7, where higher on the scale is better. MID is 0.5. · adults with COPD who had exertional dyspnoea but did not fulfil the criteria for long‐term oxygen treatment
Ambulatory oxygen for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who are not hypoxaemic at rest (2014) · Cochrane
MD 0.28 [0.1, 0.45]4 studies · 341 participantsModerate
Intervention NR
Dyspnoea · adults with COPD who had exertional dyspnoea but did not fulfil the criteria for long‐term oxygen treatment
Ambulatory oxygen for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who are not hypoxaemic at rest (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted3 studies · 198 participantsUngraded
Intervention NR
Adverse events · adults with COPD who had exertional dyspnoea but did not fulfil the criteria for long‐term oxygen treatment
Ambulatory oxygen for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who are not hypoxaemic at rest (2014) · Cochrane
OR 0.77 [0.21, 2.81]2 studies · 83 participantsLow
Intervention NR
Hospitalisations · adults with COPD who had exertional dyspnoea but did not fulfil the criteria for long‐term oxygen treatment
Ambulatory oxygen for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who are not hypoxaemic at rest (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted0 studies · 0 participantsUngraded
Systemic corticosteroid vs placebo
Treatment failure Need to intensify therapy/ED or hospital admission · acute exacerbations COPD
Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2014) · Cochrane
OR 0.48 [0.35, 0.67]9 studies · 917 participantsHigh
Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid vs oral corticosteroid
Mortality after discharge (1‐3 months) · acute exacerbations of COPD
Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2014) · Cochrane
OR 1.4 [0.44, 4.51]3 studies · 298 participantsModerate
Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid vs oral corticosteroid
Duration of hospitalisation Days · acute exacerbations of COPD
Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted3 studies · 298 participantsLow
Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid vs oral corticosteroid
Adverse drug effect ‐ hyperglycaemia · acute exacerbations of COPD
Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2014) · Cochrane
OR 4.89 [1.2, 19.94]1 study · 40 participantsModerate
Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid vs oral corticosteroid
PaO2 mmHg · acute exacerbations of COPD
Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 38 participantsLow
Systemic corticosteroid vs placebo
Relapse Treatment for AE of COPD or hospital re‐admission · acute exacerbations COPD
Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2014) · Cochrane
OR 0.77 [0.51, 1.17]5 studies · 596 participantsModerate
Systemic corticosteroid vs placebo
Improvement in lung function ‐ early effect FEV1 (L) as absolute or change · acute exacerbations COPD
Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted7 studies · 649 participantsHigh
Systemic corticosteroid vs placebo
Decreased breathlessness ‐ early effect Borg scale or VAS · acute exacerbations COPD
Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted3 studies · 178 participantsModerate
Systemic corticosteroid vs placebo
Adverse drug effect · acute exacerbations COPD
Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2014) · Cochrane
OR 2.33 [1.59, 3.43]8 studies · 736 participantsHigh
Systemic corticosteroid vs placebo
Hyperglycaemia · acute exacerbations COPD
Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2014) · Cochrane
OR 2.79 [1.86, 4.19]6 studies · 804 participantsHigh
Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid vs oral corticosteroid
Treatment failure Need to intensify therapy · acute exacerbations of COPD
Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2014) · Cochrane
OR 0.67 [0.34, 1.3]3 studies · 298 participantsModerate
Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid vs oral corticosteroid
Relapse Hospital readmission for COPD · acute exacerbations of COPD
Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2014) · Cochrane
OR 0.95 [0.5, 1.8]3 studies · 298 participantsModerate
Treatment route: intravenous corticosteroid vs oral corticosteroid
Breathlessness ‐ early effect VAS 0‐10. Scale from: 0 to 10. · acute exacerbations of COPD
Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted2 studies · 75 participantsLow
Bromhexine vs placebo
Frequency and duration of exacerbations · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
RhDNase vs placebo
Adverse events · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
RhDNase vs placebo
Health‐related quality of life · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
RhDNase vs placebo
Symptoms sputum colour Scale used not reported · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
MD 0.281 study · 40 participantsLow
RhDNase vs placebo
Deaths · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
OR 3.09 [0.32, 29.98]1 study · 349 participantsLow
RhDNase vs placebo
Lung function % change FEV1 · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
MD 2.11 study · 40 participantsLow
Erdosteine vs no treatment
Frequency and duration of exacerbations · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Erdosteine vs no treatment
Hospitalisations for infective exacerbations · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Erdosteine vs no treatment
Adverse events · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Erdosteine vs no treatment
Health‐related quality of life · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Erdosteine vs no treatment
Symptoms mucus volume production · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
MD 0.41 study · 30 participantsLow
Bromhexine vs placebo
Hospitalisations · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Erdosteine vs no treatment
Deaths · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Erdosteine vs no treatment
Lung function change in FEV1 (L) at day 15 · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
MD 200 [40, 360]1 study · 30 participantsLow
Bromhexine vs placebo
Adverse events · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
OR 2.93 [0.12, 73.97]1 study · 88 participantsLow
Bromhexine vs placebo
Health‐related quality of life · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Bromhexine vs placebo
Symptoms difficulty in expectoration · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 88 participantsLow
Bromhexine vs placebo
Deaths · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
Bromhexine vs placebo
Lung function FEV1 · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
MD 1841 study · 88 participantsLow
RhDNase vs placebo
Frequency and duration of exacerbations · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extractedNRNo studies
RhDNase vs placebo
Hospitalisations for infective exacerbations · patients with bronchiectasis
Mucolytics for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
OR 5.54 [0.25, 123.08]1 study · 40 participantsLow
Inhaled mannitol vs placebo
Exacerbations Exacerbation rate per year. · patients with bronchiectasis
Inhaled hyperosmolar agents for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
RR 0.92 [0.78, 1.08]1 study · 461 participantsModerate
Hypertonic saline vs isotonic saline
Adverse events · patients with bronchiectasis
Inhaled hyperosmolar agents for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
OR 8.2 [0.4, 169.9]1 study · 40 participantsUngraded
Hypertonic saline vs isotonic saline
Mortality · patients with bronchiectasis
Inhaled hyperosmolar agents for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted4 studies · 113 participantsUngraded
Hypertonic saline vs isotonic saline
Symptoms: cough, sputum volume and ease of expectoration, wheeze, dyspnoea · patients with bronchiectasis
Inhaled hyperosmolar agents for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted4 studies · 113 participantsUngraded
Hypertonic saline vs isotonic saline
Lung function FEV1 (L) · patients with bronchiectasis
Inhaled hyperosmolar agents for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 40 participantsModerate
Hypertonic saline vs isotonic saline
Health‐related quality of life. Measured on the SGRQ (total score reported) · patients with bronchiectasis
Inhaled hyperosmolar agents for bronchiectasis (2014) · Cochrane
no estimate extracted1 study · 40 participantsModerate