METHODS

Design:

randomised, placebo controlled trial.

Allocation:

{concealed*}†.

Blinding:

blinded {patients, healthcare providers, data collectors, outcome assessors, data analysts, monitoring committee, and manuscript writers}†.*

Follow up period:

16 weeks.

Setting:

122 centres in North and South America and Europe.

Patients:

770 patients 18–70 years of age (mean age 45 y, 70% women) with stable, adequately treated asthma, FEV₁ 50–80% of predicted with ⩾12% reversibility, and mean morning peak expiratory flow (PEF) <80% predicted. Exclusion criteria included recent use of a proton pump inhibitor and recurrent moderate to severe symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) in patients >40 years of age. During …