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) |