TY - JOUR T1 - Do inhaled corticosteroids slow FEV<sub>1</sub> decline in COPD after all? JF - Thorax JO - Thorax SP - 538 LP - 539 VL - 59 IS - 6 AU - M G Duerden Y1 - 2004/06/01 UR - http://thorax.bmj.com/content/59/6/538.2.abstract N2 - I question the findings of the meta-analysis by Sunderland et al1 and the content of the associated editorial by Burge and Lewis.2 The meta-analysis has drawn from available long term data from randomised controlled studies (RCTs) of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in chronic obstructive airways disease (COPD). The whole purpose of meta-analysis is to analyse such data systematically to answer a question. This study seems to use the data selectively to demonstrate an effect. Another recent meta-analysis—in my … ER -