METHODS

Design:

cost effectiveness analysis of a randomised controlled trial (Inhaled Steroid as Regular Therapy in Early Asthma [START] study).

Allocation:

{concealed*}†.

Blinding:

blinded {patients, clinicians, data collectors, outcome assessors, data analysts, and monitoring committee}†.*

Follow up period:

3 years.

Setting:

{499 sites in 32 countries}‡.

Patients:

7241 patients (mean age 24 y, 54% women; based on 7165 patients) who had received a diagnosis of asthma ⩽2 years before randomisation and had mild persistent asthma (ie, ⩾1 symptom such as wheeze, cough, or chest tightness per week, but not as often as every day, during the previous 3 mo) and airway reversibility. Exclusion criteria: significant comorbidity.

Interventions:

budesonide (Pulmicort Turbuhaler, AstraZeneca, London, UK), 400 …