Long acting β2 agonists (LABAs) v regular inhaled short acting β2 agonists (SABAs) in chronic asthma at ≥2 weeks*
| Outcomes | Number of RCTs (n) | LABAs† | Weighted mean difference (95% CI)‡ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morning peak expiratory flow (PEF) (l/min) | 8 (1983) | 401 | 32.9 (24.5 to 41.4) |
| Evening PEF (l/min) | 8 (1983) | 426 | 25.6 (18.0 to 33.3) |
| Change from baseline in morning PEF (l/min) | 6 (1602) | 31 | 27.4 (23.0 to 31.8) |
| Change from baseline in evening PEF (l/min) | 6 (1602) | 19 | 11.9 (8.0 to 15.9) |
| Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (litres) | 8 (1397) | 2.6 | 0.22 (0.14 to 0.31) |
| Forced vital capacity (litres) | 3 (548) | 3.8 | 0.24 (0.13 to 0.36) |
| Decrease from baseline in rescue bronchodilator use (puffs/d) | 2 (307) | −2.7 | −0.69 (−1.29 to −0.08) |
| Standardised mean difference (CI) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| *RCTs = randomised controlled trials. CI defined in glossary. Meta-analyses were done using a fixed effects model. | |||
| †Values are means used as baseline in calculation of weighted or standardised mean differences. | |||
| ‡All significant differences favour LABAs. | |||
| Whole day composite symptom scores | 3 (606) | 0.75 | −0.27 (−0.11 to −0.43) |
| Quality of life scores | 2 (727) | 1.1 | 0.54 (0.39 to 0.69) |