Table 2.

 Results of direct comparisons for change in clinical score among outpatients

Comparison	Time point	No of studies (No of patients)	Standardised mean difference (95% CI)	I2 (%)
Steroid v placebo	1 hour	4 (1006)	−0.04 (−0.16 to 0.09)	0
	2 hour	3 (214)	−0.17 (−0.55 to 0.21)	43
	3-6 hours	4 (808)	−0.14 (−0.50 to 0.21)	68
	12-24 hours	1 (69)	0.13 (−0.51 to 0.76)	36
	3-10 days	4 (224)	−0.20 (−0.61 to 0.21)	55
Steroid v adrenaline	1 hour	2 (442)	0.31 (0.12 to 0.50)*	0
	2 hours	1 (45)	0.35 (−0.27 to 0.98)	NA
	3-6 hours	1 (45)	0.42 (−0.20 to 1.05)	NA
Steroid v salbutamol	1 hour	1 (45)	0.65 (0.01 to 1.28)†	NA
	2 hours	1 (45)	0.36 (−0.27 to 0.98)	NA
	3-6 hours	1 (45)	0.70 (0.06 to 1.34)†	NA
Adrenaline v placebo	1 hour	4 (900)	−0.45 (−0.66 to −0.23)*	40
	2 hours	1 (30)	−0.83 (−1.58 to −0.08)*	NA
Adrenaline v salbutamol	1 hour	6 (248)	−0.11 (−0.36 to 0.14)	0
	2 hours	4 (207)	−0.09 (−0.37 to 0.18)	0
	12-24 hours	1 (69)	−0.21 (−0.86 to 0.44)	41
	3-10 days	1 (69)	−0.50 (−0.98 to −0.02)*	0
Salbutamol v placebo	1 hour	8 (565)	−0.49 (−0.96 to −0.01)†	86
	2 hours	2 (100)	−0.04 (−1.07 to 0.99)	84
	3-6 hours	1 (60)	−0.79 (−2.53 to 0.95)	90
Ipratropium v placebo	2 hours	1 (69)	−0.14 (−0.61 to 0.33)	NA
Adrenaline and dexamethasone v placebo	1 hour	1 (399)	−0.34 (−0.54 to −0.14)‡	NA
Adrenaline and dexamethasone v salbutamol	2 hours	1 (35)	−0.17 (−0.87 to 0.52)	NA
	12-24 hours	1 (35)	0.00 (−0.70 to 0.70)	NA
	3-10 days	1 (35)	−1.22 (−1.98 to −0.46)‡	NA
Steroid and salbutamol v placebo	1 hour	1 (30)	−0.34 (−1.75 to 1.07)	NA
	2 hours	1 (30)	−0.67 (−2.04 to 0.70)	NA
	3-6 hours	1 (30)	−1.08 (−2.43 to 0.27)	NA
Steroid and salbutamol v adrenaline	1 hour	1 (30)	0.36 (−0.36 to 1.08)	NA
	2 hours	2 (64)	0.25 (−0.26 to 0.77)	0
	12-24 hours	1 (34)	0.30 (−0.43 to 1.02)	NA
	3-10 days	1 (34)	−0.16 (−0.88 to 0.56)	NA

NA=not applicable.

*Results favour adrenaline.

†Results favour salbutamol.

‡Results favour combined adrenaline and dexamethasone.