Sharma 2003.

Methods	Design: randomised controlled trial Method of randomisation: not stated Means of allocation concealment: not stated Withdrawals/drop‐outs: not stated Blinding: none
Participants	Eligible: not stated Randomised: 57 (group 1: 14, group 2: 14, group 3: 15, group 4: 14) Completed: 57 Age range (years): 5 to 12 Sex (M/F): 29/28 Asthma diagnosis: unclear Inclusion criteria: history of cough, breathlessness with wheezing, RR > 30 per min, in ED for asthma Major exclusions: tuberculosis, history suggestive of tuberculosis Baseline PEF mean (SD): treatment 92 (48), control 92 (35)
Interventions	Setting: patients attending outpatient or casualty department for acute asthma at a hospital in India Patients were randomised to 1 of 4 groups: group 1: BDP 100 μg plus salbutamol 200 μg via MDI plus spacer; group 2: BDP 100 μg plus salbutamol 200 μg via MDI; group 3: salbutamol 200 μg via MDI plus spacer; group 4: salbutamol via MDI. The treatment was repeated every 20 min for a total of 3 treatments as needed
Outcomes	Clinical parameters recorded included PEF, HR, RR, blood pressure, wheezing and retractions. Laboratory parameters recorded included serum glucose, sodium, potassium and arterial blood gases
Notes	This trial was added in July 2005; the author was not contacted
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Method of random sequence generation not reported
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Method of allocation concealment not reported
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	High risk	Trial not blinded
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	High risk	Trial not blinded
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	No indication of patients being withdrawn from trial
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Unclear risk	No apparent indication of reporting bias