3. Results of sensitivity analyses: effect of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) on change from baseline in height in first year of treatment.

Analyses (no. of trials)	Exclusion of trials (reasons)	Exclusion of trials (studies)	Effect size (mean difference (MD), 95% confidence interval (CI))
Overall analysis (n = 15)			‐0.61 cm/y (‐0.83 to ‐0.38)
Sensitivity analysis 1	Open‐label trials	Bisgaard 2004; Gradman 2010; Roux 2003; Turpeinen 2008	‐0.65 cm/y (‐0.94 to ‐0.37)
Sensitivity analysis 2	Random sequence generation not reported	Allen 1998; Bensch 2011; Gillman 2002; Gradman 2010; Simons 1997	‐0.64 cm/y (‐0.94 to ‐0.35)
Sensitivity analysis 3	Imputation of missing standard deviation (SD)	Becker 2006; Gillman 2002	‐0.59 cm/y (‐0.83 to ‐0.34)
Sensitivity analysis 4	Treatment compliance rate < 75% or no data available	Gillman 2002; Guilbert 2006; Roux 2003	‐0.64 cm/y (‐0.90 to ‐0.38)
Sensitivity analysis 5	Withdrawal rate > 20%	Allen 1998; Bensch 2011; Bisgaard 2004; Martinez 2011; Roux 2003; Simons 1997	‐0.70 cm/y (‐1.02 to ‐0.38)
Sensitivity analysis 6	Non‐steroidal drugs rather than placebo used as controls	Bisgaard 2004; Gillman 2002; Gradman 2010; Roux 2003; Tinkelman 1993; Turpeinen 2008; Verberne 1997	‐0.55 cm/y (‐0.84 to ‐0.26)
Sensitivity analysis 7	Trials that included participants receiving previous regular use of ICS for longer than 1 month before study entry	Allen 1998; Bensch 2011; Bisgaard 2004; Gillman 2002; Gradman 2010; Guilbert 2006; Martinez 2011; Skoner 2008; Sorkness 2007; Turpeinen 2008; Verberne 1997	‐0.83 cm/y (‐1.35 to ‐0.32)
Sensitivity analysis 8	Growth data extracted from the figures	Becker 2006; Bisgaard 2004; Guilbert 2006; Martinez 2011; Skoner 2008	‐0.60 cm/y (‐0.87 to ‐0.33)
Sensitivity analysis 9	18‐Month trial in which the growth data used for the analysis were obtained between 7 and 18 months when ICS was given at a constant dose	Turpeinen 2008	‐0.61 cm/y (‐0.85 to ‐0.37)
Sensitivity analysis 10	Trial in which only a subset of data was analysed	Allen 1998	‐0.64 cm/y (‐0.88 to ‐0.39)
Sensitivity analysis 11	Trials sponsored by pharmaceutical industry	Allen 1998; Becker 2006; Bensch 2011; Bisgaard 2004; Gillman 2002; Roux 2003; Simons 1997; Skoner 2008; Tinkelman 1993; Turpeinen 2008; Verberne 1997	‐0.78 cm/y (‐1.08 to ‐0.48)