Comparison 2. Longer Term AC vs placebo.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Symptom score paired mean difference (Scale ‐1 to +1)	3		Symptom score diff (Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
1.1 Symptom score (daily average) up to 28 days dyspnoea, daytime, IB 40	3		Symptom score diff (Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.09 [‐0.14, ‐0.04]
1.2 Symptom score (daily) <28 days dyspnoea, daytime, IB 40; no Salorinne	2		Symptom score diff (Fixed, 95% CI)	‐0.07 [‐0.13, ‐0.02]
1.3 Symptom score (daily average) medium term overall score, night	1		Symptom score diff (Fixed, 95% CI)	0.09 [‐0.09, 0.26]
2 PEF paired analysis (scale ‐100 to +100 l/min)	3		Mean Difference L/mn (Fixed, 95% CI)	Subtotals only
2.1 PEF am	3		Mean Difference L/mn (Fixed, 95% CI)	14.38 [7.69, 21.08]
2.2 PEF am (without Salorinne)	2		Mean Difference L/mn (Fixed, 95% CI)	16.26 [9.21, 23.31]
2.3 PEF pm, short term	3		Mean Difference L/mn (Fixed, 95% CI)	23.48 [12.32, 34.65]
2.4 PEF am, short term, post bronchodilator	2		Mean Difference L/mn (Fixed, 95% CI)	34.91 [20.13, 49.70]
2.5 PEF pm, short term, post bronchodilator	1		Mean Difference L/mn (Fixed, 95% CI)	23.94 [5.20, 42.68]
3 Patient preference	2	96	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.64 [0.68, 3.94]
4 Number of patients dropping out	2	90	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.70 [0.13, 3.72]
5 Adverse effects ‐ number of patients	2	104	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.87 [0.51, 6.81]
5.1 overall	2	104	Odds Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.87 [0.51, 6.81]