2.4 Statistical Analysis
A random-effect model was used to estimate the asthma exacerbation,
asthma admissions, emergency room visits, use of inhaled corticosteroids
and Beta-2 agonists. Statistical heterogeneity was considered to be
present when p < 0.1 or I2 >
50%. Publication bias was evaluated visually by funnel plots and
considered significant when p < 0.05 in either Begg’s test or
Egger’s test when the inclusion was more than 10 articles. STATA 15.0
software (Stata Corporation, College Station, TX, USA) was also used to
conduct different analyses and all statistical tests.