Comparison 1. Inhaled corticosteroids vs placebo or non‐steroidal drugs.

Outcome or subgroup title	No. of studies	No. of participants	Statistical method	Effect size
1 Linear growth velocity (cm/y): 6‐ to 8‐month treatment	2	369	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.23 [‐2.32, ‐0.13]
1.1 7‐Month DPI‐beclomethasone 400 μg/d	1	84	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.82 [‐2.39, ‐1.25]
1.2 8‐Month CFC‐fluticasone 200 μg/d	1	285	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.70 [‐0.93, ‐0.47]
2 Change from baseline in height (cm): 6‐ to 8‐month treatment	3	167	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.77 [‐1.10, ‐0.43]
2.1 6‐Month nebulised beclomethasone 300 μg/d	1	29	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.19 [‐1.06, 0.68]
2.2 6‐Month DPI‐budesonide 200 μg/d	1	27	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.52 [‐1.16, 0.12]
2.3 7‐Month DPI‐beclomethasone 400 μg/d	1	84	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐1.0 [‐1.33, ‐0.67]
2.4 8‐Month DPI‐budesonide 200 μg/d	1	27	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.83 [‐1.59, ‐0.07]
3 Linear growth velocity (cm/y): 1‐year (or nearly 1‐year) treatment	14	5659	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.47 [‐0.66, ‐0.27]
3.1 CFC‐beclomethasone 400 μg/d	3	427	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.90 [‐1.26, ‐0.55]
3.2 Budesonide 100‐400 μg/d	3	2790	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.61 [‐0.84, ‐0.38]
3.3 Ciclesonide 50‐200 μg/d	1	609	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.08 [‐0.27, 0.11]
3.4 Flunisolide 400 μg/d	2	302	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.22 [‐0.63, 0.18]
3.5 Fluticasone 100‐200 μg/d	5	1347	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.39 [‐0.63, ‐0.15]
3.6 Mometasone 100‐200 μg/d	1	184	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.47 [‐0.97, 0.03]
4 Linear growth velocity (cm/y): 1‐year (or nearly 1‐year) treatment—use of MD and SE for meta‐analysis	14		Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)	‐0.48 [‐0.65, ‐0.30]
4.1 CFC‐beclomethasone 400 μg/d	3		Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)	‐0.91 [‐1.26, ‐0.55]
4.2 Budesonide 100‐400 μg/d	3		Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)	‐0.59 [‐0.73, ‐0.45]
4.3 Ciclesonide 50‐200 μg/d	1		Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)	‐0.08 [‐0.27, 0.11]
4.4 Flunisolide 400 μg/d	2		Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)	‐0.22 [‐0.63, 0.18]
4.5 Fluticasone 100‐200 μg/d	5		Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)	‐0.39 [‐0.63, ‐0.15]
4.6 Mometasone 100‐200 μg/d	1		Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)	‐0.47 [‐0.97, 0.03]
5 Change from baseline in height (cm): 1‐year (or nearly 1‐year) treatment	15	3217	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.61 [‐0.83, ‐0.38]
5.1 Beclomethasone 200‐400 μg/d	6	735	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.98 [‐1.22, ‐0.74]
5.2 Budesonide 200 μg/d	2	150	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.72 [‐1.12, ‐0.32]
5.3 Ciclesonide 50‐200 μg/d	1	609	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.12 [‐0.31, 0.07]
5.4 Flunisolide 400 μg/d	2	245	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.15 [‐0.66, 0.36]
5.5 Fluticasone 100‐200 μg/d	5	1478	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.43 [‐0.66, ‐0.20]
6 Change in height standard deviation score (SDS): 1‐year (or nearly 1‐year) treatment	4	258	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.13 [‐0.24, ‐0.01]
6.1 CFC‐beclomethasone 400 μg/d	1	67	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.25 [‐0.39, ‐0.11]
6.2 Budesonide 200‐400 μg/d	2	115	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.13 [‐0.21, ‐0.05]
6.3 Fluticasone 100‐200 μg/d	2	76	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.11 [‐0.54, 0.33]
7 Linear growth velocity (cm/y): 2‐year treatment	5	3174	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.09 [‐0.46, 0.27]
7.1 Budesonide 100‐400 μg/d	3	2737	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.41 [‐0.97, 0.14]
7.2 Fluticasone 200 μg/d	2	437	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	0.22 [‐0.10, 0.55]
8 Linear growth velocity (cm/y) using MD and SE for meta‐analysis: 2‐year treatment	5		Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)	‐0.19 [‐0.48, 0.11]
8.1 Budesonide 100‐400 μg/d	3		Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)	‐0.38 [‐0.60, ‐0.15]
8.2 Fluticasone 200 μg/d	2		Mean Difference (Random, 95% CI)	0.22 [‐0.10, 0.55]
9 Change from baseline in height (cm): 2‐year treatment	2	437	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.30 [‐2.09, 1.49]
9.1 Fluticasone 200 μg/d	2	437	Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	‐0.30 [‐2.09, 1.49]
10 Linear growth velocity (cm/y): off‐treatment follow‐up (2‐ to 4‐month)	1		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	Totals not selected
11 Increase in height (cm): off‐treatment follow‐up (2‐ to 4‐month)	1		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	Totals not selected
12 Linear growth velocity (cm/y): off‐treatment follow‐up (12‐month)	1		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	Totals not selected
13 Adult height (cm)	1		Mean Difference (IV, Random, 95% CI)	Totals not selected