Appendix 1

Appendix 2

Appendix 1

Two computerised bibliographic databases were searched to find all publications examining and exploding glucocorticoid therapy (and each one of the names of the corticosteroids) of croup. MEDLINE database from January 1966 through August 1997 and Excerpta Medica database from January 1974 through August 1997. Only randomised controlled trials were selected using the Cochrane Collaborative Review Group search strategy (Dickersin 1994), in anywhere of the manuscript. Studies published in any language were included. Relevant studies were identified through handsearching by the Acute Respiratory Infection Review Group. The Clinical Trials Cochrane database was also reviewed <Cochrane 1997>. The number of unique references retrieved were 363

Database: Medline <1966 to August 1997>.
 

Database: Embase <1980 to Wk 32 1997>
 

A Cochrane search was made in August 1997. Thirty references were retrieved. The total number of references retrieved from the three data bases were 458. The duplicates were 95. The clean and merge database was composed by 363 unique articles.

To determine the studies to be assessed two independent observers (AS,TK) reviewed the title, methods section and keywords of every article's reference. With this method 84 articles were collected to be assessed. A set of 10 additional references were identified. Two additional unpublished studies were achieved. After exclude 43 reviews articles finally we got a set of 53 potentially relevant articles.

Letters to the authors were written in order to get additional references, or obtain dispersion measures not reported in the original trials.

Two different observers (AS, TK) went through these references using a relevance form with 4 items: 1. diagnosis of croup 2. Treatment with glucocorticoids versus placebo or any other active treatment 3. Clinical outcome measure 4. Randomisation. All the studies included in the systematic review should fulfilled the 4 items.

This information appears as supplied by the authors

Appendix 2

Budesonide versus placebo at 6 hours

Husby 93,^w9 Godden 97,^w8 Klassen 94,^w14 Geelhoed 95,^w5 and Johnson 98.^w12

Budesonide versus placebo at 12 hours

Godden 97^w8 and Geelhoed 95.^w5

Dexamethasone versus placebo at 6 hours

Cruz 95,^w1 Kuusela 88,^w17 von Mulhlendahl 82,^w21 Koren 83,^w16 Johnson 96,^w11 Martinez 93,^w19 Geelhoed 95,^w6 and Johnson 98.^w12

Dexamethasone versus placebo at 12 hours

Kuusela 88,^w17 von Mulhlendahl 82,^w21 Martinez 93,^w19 Super 89,^w23 and Geelhoed 95.^w6

Dexamethasone versus placebo at 24 hours

von Mulhlendahl 82,^w21 Martinez 93,^w19 Super 89,^w23 and Leipiz 79.^w18

Budesonide or dexamethasone versus placebo at 6 hours

Husby 93,^w9 Godden 97,^w8 Klassen 94,^w14 Geelhoed 95,^w5 Johnson 98,^w12 Cruz 95,^w1 Kuusela 88,^w17 Mulhlendahl 82,^w21 Koren 83,^w16 Johnson 96,^w11 Martinez 93,^w19 Geelhoed 95,^w6 and Johnson 98.^w12

Budesonide or dexamethasone versus placebo at 12 hours

Godden 97,^w8 Geelhoed 95,^w5 Kuusela 88,^w17 von Mulhlendahl 82,^w21 Martinez 93,^w19 Super 89,^w23 and Geelhoed 95.^w6

Budesonide or dexamethasone versus placebo at 24 hours

Godden 97,^w8 von Mulhlendahl 82,^w21 Martinez 93,^w19 Super 89,^w23 and Leipiz 79.^w18