What do systematic reviews say?

Ciclesonide vs budesonide (dose ratio 1:2)

It is very uncertain whether ciclesonide changes patients with exacerbations Number of patients with exacerbations compared with budesonide (dose ratio 1:2) (very low certainty).

• Ciclesonide versus other inhaled corticosteroids for chronic asthma in children 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 2.2 [0.75, 6.43]
  2 studies · 1024 participants
  Very low

Ciclesonide vs budesonide (dose ratio 1:2)

• Ciclesonide versus other inhaled corticosteroids for chronic asthma in children 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 1024 participants
  Low

Ciclesonide vs fluticasone (dose ratio 1:1)

• Ciclesonide versus other inhaled corticosteroids for chronic asthma in children 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 studies · 1468 participants
  Moderate

Ciclesonide vs fluticasone (dose ratio 1:1)

It is very uncertain whether ciclesonide changes patients with exacerbations Number of patients with exacerbations compared with fluticasone (dose ratio 1:1) (very low certainty).

• Ciclesonide versus other inhaled corticosteroids for chronic asthma in children 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.37 [0.58, 3.21]
  2 studies · 1003 participants
  Very low

Ciclesonide vs fluticasone (dose ratio 1:1)

• Ciclesonide versus other inhaled corticosteroids for chronic asthma in children 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  6 studies · 1560 participants
  Low

Ciclesonide vs fluticasone (dose ratio 1:2)

• Ciclesonide versus other inhaled corticosteroids for chronic asthma in children 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 482 participants
  Low

Ciclesonide vs fluticasone (dose ratio 1:2)

It is very uncertain whether ciclesonide changes patients with exacerbations Number of patients with exacerbations compared with fluticasone (dose ratio 1:2) (very low certainty).

• Ciclesonide versus other inhaled corticosteroids for chronic asthma in children 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 3.48 [1.35, 8.71]
  1 study · 502 participants
  Very low

Ciclesonide vs fluticasone (dose ratio 1:2)

It is very uncertain whether ciclesonide changes adverse events Number of patients with adverse events compared with fluticasone (dose ratio 1:2) (very low certainty).

• Ciclesonide versus other inhaled corticosteroids for chronic asthma in children 2013 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.99 [0.89, 1.08]
  1 study · 502 participants
  Very low

Inhaled corticosteroids vs placebo

ICS may leads to lower hospital admission compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Early use of inhaled corticosteroids in the emergency department treatment of acute asthma 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.44 [0.31, 0.61]
  12 studies · 959 participants
  Low

Inhaled corticosteroids vs placebo

ICS showed no clear difference in FEV1 at 1 hour compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Early use of inhaled corticosteroids in the emergency department treatment of acute asthma 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  MD 0.28
  4 studies · 248 participants
  Low

Inhaled corticosteroids vs placebo

ICS showed no clear difference in FEV1 at 3 to 4 hours compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Early use of inhaled corticosteroids in the emergency department treatment of acute asthma 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  MD 0.15
  4 studies · 319 participants
  Moderate

Inhaled corticosteroids vs placebo

ICS showed no clear difference in adverse effects ‐ nausea/vomiting compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Early use of inhaled corticosteroids in the emergency department treatment of acute asthma 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.32 [0.03, 3.18]
  1 study · 94 participants
  Low

Inhaled corticosteroids vs systemic corticosteroids

ICS showed no clear difference in hospital admission compared with systemic corticosteroids (low certainty).

• Early use of inhaled corticosteroids in the emergency department treatment of acute asthma 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.56 [0.25, 1.24]
  10 studies · 763 participants
  Low

Any ICS plus oral corticosteroid vs oral corticosteroid

Any ICS plus oral corticosteroid showed no clear difference in asthma relapse1at 20 to 24 days compared with oral corticosteroid (high certainty).

• Inhaled steroids for acute asthma following emergency department discharge 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.68 [0.46, 1.02]
  3 studies · 909 participants
  High

Any ICS plus oral corticosteroid vs oral corticosteroid

Any ICS plus oral corticosteroid showed no clear difference in hospital admission compared with oral corticosteroid (moderate certainty).

• Inhaled steroids for acute asthma following emergency department discharge 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.99 [0.39, 2.52]
  2 studies · 805 participants
  Moderate

Any ICS plus oral corticosteroid vs oral corticosteroid

Any ICS plus oral corticosteroid showed no clear difference in hoarseness at 20 to 24 days compared with oral corticosteroid (moderate certainty).

• Inhaled steroids for acute asthma following emergency department discharge 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.6 [0.36, 1.01]
  2 studies · 596 participants
  Moderate

Any ICS vs oral corticosteroid

Any ICS showed no clear difference in asthma relapse1at 16 to 21 days compared with oral corticosteroid (moderate certainty).

• Inhaled steroids for acute asthma following emergency department discharge 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 1.26 [0.8, 1.99]
  2 studies · 425 participants
  Moderate

Any ICS vs oral corticosteroid

Any ICS showed no clear difference in hospital admission compared with oral corticosteroid (moderate certainty).

• Inhaled steroids for acute asthma following emergency department discharge 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 0.31 [0.01, 7.95]
  3 studies · 254 participants
  Moderate

Any ICS vs oral corticosteroid

Any ICS showed no clear difference in hoarseness at 16 to 21 days compared with oral corticosteroid (low certainty).

• Inhaled steroids for acute asthma following emergency department discharge 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  OR 1.62 [0.52, 5.05]
  1 study · 412 participants
  Low

Aminophylline vs placebo

Aminophylline showed no clear difference in PEF (L/min) ‐ at 60 min compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Addition of intravenous aminophylline to inhaled beta₂‐agonists in adults with acute asthma 2012 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  MD 6.24
  6 studies · 302 participants
  Low