Riordan 1974.

Methods	Setting: UK, hospital outpatient clinic Length of intervention period: 2 weeks Randomisation: yes, method not stated Allocation concealment: not stated Design: crossover, no washout Masking: double blind Excluded: not stated Withdrawals: not stated Baseline characteristics: no data for patients randomised to each treatment sequence Jadad score: 2
Participants	25 children and adults: 8M 17F Age range: 12‐77 years Inclusion criteria: Asthma with significant reversibility of airway obstruction Stable symptoms Exclusion criteria: Not stated
Interventions	BDP: 50 mcg 2 pfs 4x daily (400 mcg/d) Placebo: 2 pfs 4xdaily Delivery device: MDI
Outcomes	FEV1 FVC Morning PEFR Evening PEFR Clinic PEFR Daily symptom score Use of additional beta2 agonists
Notes	No reply from author to clarify details of method of randomisation. No numerical data presented in a form suitable for meta‐analysis. Overall finding of significant improvements in PEFR and symptom scores for BDP group compared to placebo, no difference in spirometry or beta2 agonist use. Study also included a betamethasone valerate treatment arm: results not considered
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Allocation concealment?	Unclear risk	B ‐ Unclear