Bateman 2006a.

Methods	STUDY DESIGN: Parallel group LOCATION, NUMBER OF CENTRES: Multicentre DURATION OF STUDY: 12 weeks (2‐4 weeks on FP250mcg/d) CONCEALMENT OF ALLOCATION: Not reported COCHRANE QUALITY SCORE: B DESCRIBED AS RANDOMISED: Yes DESCRIBED AS DOUBLE BLIND: Yes METHOD OF RANDOMISATION WELL DESCRIBED/APPROPRIATE: Not reported METHOD OF BLINDING WELL DESCRIBED/APPROPRIATE: Not reported DESCRIPTION OF WITHDRAWALS/DROPOUTS: Not reported JADAD SCORE (5‐1): 2 TYPE OF ANALYSIS (AVAILABLE CASE/TREATMENT RECEIVED/ ITT): ITT( presumed as most likely) COMPLIANCE: Not reported CONFOUNDERS: Not reported
Participants	N SCREENED: Unknown N RANDOMISED: 680 (eligible patients) N COMPLETED: Not reported M= unknown F= unknown MEDIAN AGE Not reported BASELINE DETAILS: Not reported INCLUSION CRITERIA: Severe asthma; FEV1 < 70% predicted age 12‐75 years EXCLUSION: Not reported
Interventions	1. Ciclesonide 200mcg OD 2. Ciclesonide 400mcg BD DELIVERY: HFA‐MDI TREATMENT PERIOD: 12 weeks RESCUE: Not reported CO‐INTERVENTIONS PERMITTED: Not reported CO‐INTERVENTIONS: Not reported % on ICS baseline: 100 (FP 250mcg BD)
Outcomes	FEV1, am PEF; symptoms; asthma exacerbations
Notes	Unpublished conference abstract
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Allocation concealment?	Unclear risk	B ‐ Unclear