Table 1

Characteristics of included studies

Study	Quality*	Design	No enrolled/no completed	ICS type	Dose (μg/day)	Duration (weeks)	Delivery device	Comparison
*Numbers are Jadad scores from 0 to 5 where higher numbers indicate less opportunity for bias. Letters indicate whether the method of allocation to treatment groups was A = adequate; B = unclear; C = inadequate.
NS, not stated; BUD, budesonide; FP, fluticasone propionate; BDP, beclomethasone; DPI, dry powder inhaler; pMDI, pressurised metered dose inhaler.
Campbell¹⁶	4B	Parallel	682/454	BUD	800–400 v 400	24	DPI	Step down v constant/high v moderate
Chanez¹⁷	4A	Parallel	169/137	BUD	1600–200 v 400	16	DPI	Step down v constant/high v moderate
Jatakanon¹⁸	3B	Parallel	22/21	BUD	400 v 100	4	DPI	Moderate v low
Lorentzson¹⁹	3B	Parallel	104/103	BUD	400 v 200	6	pMDI	Moderate v low
Majima²⁰	1A	Parallel	17/NS	BDP	800 v 400	8	NS	High v moderate
Miyamoto^21,²²	5A	Parallel	267/224	BUD	800 v 400 v 200	6	DPI	High v moderate/moderate v low
Noonan²³	3B	Parallel	138/119	FP	200 v 100	8	pMDI	Moderate v low
O’Byrne²⁴	4A	Parallel	57/39	BUD	800 v 400	16	pMDI	High v moderate
Pedersen²⁵	2B	Parallel	85/53	BUD	1600 v 400	36	NS	High v moderate
Pirozynski²⁶	3B	Parallel	262/NS	BUD	800–200 v 200	12	DPI	Step down v constant
Sheffer²⁷	3B	Parallel	307/294	FP	200 v 100	12	pMDI	Moderate v low
van der Molen²⁸	3B	Parallel	84/73	BUD	800–200 v 200	12	DPI	Step down v constant
Wasserman²⁹	3B	Parallel	331/256	FP	500 v 200 v 100	12	DPI	High v moderate/moderate v low