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)