Comparison 6. Gluco+IFN versus Control+IFN (low and high dose of glucocorticosteroids) at maximal follow‐up.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Loss of HBeAg	13	790	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.41 [1.03, 1.92]
1.1 Low dose glucocorticosteroids	7	461	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.80 [1.19, 2.72]
1.2 High dose glucocorticosteroids	6	329	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.02 [0.64, 1.63]
2 HBeAg to anti‐HBe seroconversion	8	554	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.26 [0.87, 1.82]
2.1 Low dose glucocorticosteroids	3	304	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.76 [1.03, 3.01]
2.2 High dose glucocorticosteroids	5	250	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.93 [0.56, 1.54]
3 Loss of HBsAg	11	705	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.41 [0.77, 2.59]
3.1 Low dose glucocorticosteroids	5	376	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	2.76 [1.18, 6.43]
3.2 High dose glucocorticosteroids	6	329	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.69 [0.29, 1.66]
4 Loss of HBV DNA	13	790	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.51 [1.12, 2.05]
4.1 Low dose glucocorticosteroids	7	461	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.98 [1.31, 2.97]
4.2 High dose glucocorticosteroids	6	329	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.08 [0.68, 1.71]
5 Normalisation of ALT or AST activities	9	583	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.12 [0.78, 1.62]
5.1 Low dose glucocorticosteroids	5	362	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	1.30 [0.79, 2.14]
5.2 High dose glucocorticosteroids	4	221	Peto Odds Ratio (Peto, Fixed, 95% CI)	0.95 [0.56, 1.62]