Comparison 2. Any glucocorticoid compared to epinephrine.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Croup score (change baseline ‐ 2 hours) by inpatient/outpatient	2	130	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.77 [‐0.24, 1.77]
1.1 Inpatient	1	66	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.26 [‐0.22, 0.75]
1.2 Outpatient	1	64	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	1.29 [0.73, 1.84]
2 Croup score (change baseline ‐ 6 hours) by inpatient/outpatient	2	63	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.10 [‐1.18, 0.97]
2.1 Inpatient	2	63	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.10 [‐1.18, 0.97]
3 Croup score (change baseline ‐ 12 hours) by inpatient/outpatient	3	129	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.07 [‐0.57, 0.43]
3.1 Inpatient	3	129	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.07 [‐0.57, 0.43]
4 Croup score (change baseline ‐ 24 hours) by inpatient/outpatient	3	129	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.17 [‐0.18, 0.51]
4.1 Inpatient	3	129	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.17 [‐0.18, 0.51]
5 Croup score (change baseline ‐ 2 hours) by glucocorticoid	2	130	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.88 [0.13, 1.63]
5.1 Budesonide	1	66	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.26 [‐0.22, 0.75]
5.2 Dexamethasone	1	31	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	1.13 [0.35, 1.91]
5.3 Beclomethasone	1	33	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	1.41 [0.62, 2.19]
6 Croup score (change baseline ‐ 12 hours) by glucocorticoid	3	129	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.07 [‐0.57, 0.43]
6.1 Budesonide	1	66	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.02 [‐0.47, 0.50]
6.2 Dexamethasone	2	63	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.14 [‐1.09, 0.82]
7 Croup score (change baseline ‐ 24 hours) by glucocorticoid	3	129	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.17 [‐0.18, 0.51]
7.1 Budesonide	1	66	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.21 [‐0.27, 0.70]
7.2 Dexamethasone	2	63	Std. Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.12 [‐0.38, 0.61]
8 Return visits or (re)admissions or both by inpatient/outpatient	2	130	Risk Difference (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.0 [‐0.04, 0.04]
8.1 Inpatient	1	66	Risk Difference (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.0 [‐0.06, 0.06]
8.2 Outpatient	1	64	Risk Difference (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.0 [‐0.06, 0.06]
9 Length of stay by inpatient/outpatient	1	32	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐10.0 [‐33.89, 13.89]
9.1 Inpatient	1	32	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐10.0 [‐33.89, 13.89]
10 Additional treatments: use of epinephrine	1	66	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.30 [0.03, 2.69]
11 Additional treatments: intubation/tracheostomy	1	66	Risk Difference (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.0 [‐0.06, 0.06]
12 Additional treatments: supplemental glucocorticoids	1	66	Risk Ratio (M‐H, Random, 95% CI)	0.83 [0.48, 1.43]