Ref (type)	Population	Outcome, Interventions	Results and statistical analysis	Effect size	Favours
Mortality
[65] Systematic review	5752 people with COPD 7 RCTs in this analysis	Mortality 6 months to 3 years 209/2946 (7%) with inhaled corticosteroid plus long-acting beta2 agonist 255/2806 (9%) with placebo	OR 0.79 95% CI 0.65 to 0.96 P = 0.02	Effect size not calculated	inhaled corticosteroid plus long-acting beta2 agonist
[65] Systematic review	3057 people with COPD Data from 1 RCT	Mortality 3 years 193/1533 (13%) with fluticasone plus salmeterol 231/1524 (15%) with placebo	HR 0.83 95% CI 0.68 to 1.00 P = 0.04		Not significant
[66] RCT 6-armed trial	1704 people with COPD	Mortality 6 months 3/277 (1.1%) with budesonide 160 micrograms plus formoterol 4.5 micrograms in one metered-dose inhaler twice daily 4/281 (1.4%) with budesonide 80 micrograms plus formoterol 4.5 micrograms in one metered-dose inhaler twice daily 0/287 (0.0%) with budesonide 160 micrograms plus formoterol 4.5 micrograms in separate metered-dose inhalers twice daily 1/300 (0.3%) with placebo	Significance not assessed
[67] RCT	445 Chinese people with COPD	Mortality 6 months 2/297 (0.7%) with salmeterol 50 micrograms plus fluticasone 500 micrograms 0/148 (0%) with placebo	Significance not assessed