Table 3.
Summary of Findings for PICO Question 3a
| Systemic glucocorticosteroid compared to topical glucocorticosteroid for EoE | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outcomes and follow-up | No. of participants (studies)50 | Certainty of the evidence (GRADE) | Relative effect, RR (95% CI) | Anticipated absolute effects | |
| Risk with topical steroid | Risk difference with systemic steroid | ||||
| Not achieving histologic remission (<15 eos/hpf); follow-up: mean 8 wk | 80 (1 RCT) | ⊕⊕⊕◯ MODERATEb,c,d | R0.79 (0.41–1.52) | 350 per 1000e | 73 fewer per 1000 (207 fewer to 182 more) |
a
The risk in the intervention group (and its 95% CI) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI).
b
Despite a lack of blinding, the study was not downgraded for risk of bias.
c
We did not rate down for indirectness despite the fact that this trial consists of a pediatric population.
d
RR crosses 1.
e
In order to estimate an intention-to-treat analysis, we changed the denominator to the number of subjects who were originally randomized to each group (40 per group). The numerator denotes the number of individuals who achieved at “mild” or normal histologic grade (per Schaefer et al50) at 4 wk, which correlates to a cutoff of <15 eos/hpf.