**Title** Comparative effectiveness of inhaled corticosteroids for paediatric asthma: protocol for a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis **Source** [Takeuchi, Masato, Hirotsugu Kano, Kenzo Takahashi, and Tsutomu Iwata. "Comparative effectiveness of inhaled corticosteroids for paediatric asthma: protocol for a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis." BMJ Open 5, no. 10 (2015): e008501][1] **Contents** - [Administrative information][3] - [Introduction][4] - [Methods][5] - [Discussion][6] **Rationale** Use of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) is the mainstream maintenance therapy for paediatric asthma. Several forms of ICS are available, but the relative effectiveness among ICS has not been well investigated in published, randomised, controlled trials. The paucity of direct comparisons between ICS may have resulted in insufficient estimation in former systematic reviews/meta-analyses. To supplement the information on the comparative effectiveness of ICS for paediatric asthma, we plan to conduct a network meta-analysis (NMA) that will enable summary of direct and indirect evidence. **Objectives** In this context, we plan to conduct an NMA to address the following open question: **Are there any differences in effectiveness among ICS for paediatric asthma?** We aim to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of different ICS for paediatric asthma. For this purpose, we will use the NMA approach to synthesise two types of clinical trials together: trials comparing different ICS directly and trials comparing ICS with other classes of intervention (eg, antileukotrienes or placebo). **Methods and analysis** We will retrieve randomised, controlled trials that examined the effectiveness of ICS for paediatric asthma from the PubMed and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. After one author scans the title and abstract for eligible studies, two authors will independently review study data and assess the quality of the study. Studies of children (≤18 years old) with chronic asthma or recurrent wheezing episodes will be included if they used ICS for ≥4 weeks. We will define a priori core outcomes and supplemental outcomes of paediatric asthma, including exacerbation, healthcare use and pulmonary function. Studies reporting a minimum of one core outcome will be entered into the systematic review. After the systematic review is performed, extracted data of relevant studies will be synthesised in the Bayesian framework using a random-effects model. **Ethics and dissemination** The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. [1]: http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/10/e008501.full [2]: http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/10/e008501.full "url" [3]: https://osf.io/3rb27/ "administrative information" [4]: https://osf.io/bm658/wiki/Introduction/ "Introduction" [5]: https://osf.io/uafvc/ "Methods" [6]: https://osf.io/bm658/wiki/Discussion/