2. Results of sensitivity analyses: effect of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) on linear growth velocity in the first year of treatment.
Analyses (no. of trials) | Exclusion of trials (reasons) | Exclusion of trials (studies) | Effect size (MD, 95% confidence interval (CI)) |
Overall analysis (n = 14) |
‐0.48 cm/y (‐0.65 to ‐0.30) | ||
Sensitivity analysis 1 | Open‐label trials | Bisgaard 2004; Price 1997; Roux 2003 | ‐0.52 cm/y (‐0.71 to ‐0.33) |
Sensitivity analysis 2 | Random sequence generation not reported |
Allen 1998; Bensch 2011; Gillman 2002; Jonasson 2000; Skoner 2011 |
‐0.48 cm/y (‐0.74 to ‐0.22) |
Sensitivity analysis 3 | Imputation of missing standard deviation (SD) | CAMP 2000; Gillman 2002 | ‐0.44 cm/y (‐0.62 to ‐0.25) |
Sensitivity analysis 4 | Treatment compliance rate < 75% or no data available |
CAMP 2000; Gillman 2002; Guilbert 2006; Jonasson 2000; Pauwels 2003; Roux 2003 |
‐0.39 cm/y (‐0.65 to ‐0.13) |
Sensitivity analysis 5 | Withdrawal rate > 20% |
Allen 1998; Bensch 2011; Bisgaard 2004; Pauwels 2003; Roux 2003; Skoner 2011; Tinkelman 1993 |
‐0.48 cm/y (‐0.71 to ‐0.25) |
Sensitivity analysis 6 | Non‐steroidal drugs rather than placebo used as controls |
Bisgaard 2004; Gillman 2002; Roux 2003; Tinkelman 1993 |
‐0.47 cm/y (‐0.65 to ‐0.29) |
Sensitivity analysis 7 | Trials included participants receiving previous ICS for longer than 1 month |
Allen 1998; Bensch 2011; Bisgaard 2004; CAMP 2000; Gillman 2002; Guilbert 2006; Skoner 2008 |
‐0.61 cm/y (‐0.74 to ‐0.48) |
Sensitivity analysis 8 | Trial in which only a subset of data was analysed |
Allen 1998 | ‐0.49 cm/y (‐0.67 to ‐0.31) |
Sensitivity analysis 9 | Growth data extracted from the figures |
CAMP 2000; Guilbert 2006; Skoner 2011 | ‐0.44 cm/y (‐0.65 to ‐0.23) |
Sensitivity analysis 10 | Trials sponsored by pharmaceutical industry |
Allen 1998; Becker 2006; Bensch 2011; Bisgaard 2004; Gillman 2002; Pauwels 2003; Price 1997; Roux 2003; Skoner 2008; Skoner 2011; Tinkelman 1993 |
‐0.63 cm/y (‐0.83 to ‐0.43) |