Table 1 Characteristics of studies of intravenous magnesium sulphate

Study	Location	Publication year	Total sample	Age range (years)	Sex %F:M	Asthma severity	Jadad score	Reported outcomes
Bijani	Iran	2002	81	12–85	47:53	Acute exacerbation	3	PEFR and asthma score
Silverman	USA	2002	248	18–60	42:58	Severe	5	PEFR*, FEV₁, Borg index and admissions
Porter	USA	2001	42	18–55	64:36	Moderate–severe	5	PEFR, L admissions and Borg index
Bilaceroglu	Turkey	2001	81	16–65	69:31	Moderate–severe	2†	FEV₁ (% predicted) and admissions
Boonyavorakul	Thailand	2000	33	15–65	88:12	Severe	5	Admissions and Fischl index
Scarfone	USA	2000	54	1–18	48:52	Moderate–severe	5	Admissions and pulmonary index score
Ciarallo	USA	2000	30	6–18	40:60	Moderate–severe	4	PEFR (change in % predicted)*, FEV₁, FVC and admissions
Gurkan	Turkey	1999	20	6–16	45:55	Moderate– severe	3	PEFR (% change from baseline)* and asthma score
Devi	India	1997	47	1–12	23:77	Severe	4	PEFR (% predicted) and pulmonary index score
Ciarallo	USA	1996	31	6–18	55:45	Moderate–severe	4	PEFR (% change from baseline)*, FEV₁, FVC and admissions
Bloch	USA	1995	135	18–65	72:28	Moderate–severe	5	FEV1 (% predicted), Borg index and admissions
Matusiewicz	UK	1994	129	>16	57:42	Moderate–life threatening	5	PEFR and admissions
Tiffany	USA	1993	48	18–60	59:41	Severe	4	PEFR* and FEV₁
Green	USA	1992	120	18–65	77:23	Acute exacerbation	1	PEFR and admissions
Skobeloff	USA	1989	38	18–70	74:26	Moderate–severe	5	PEFR and admissions

FEV₁, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FVC, forced vital capacity; PEFR, peak expiratory flow rate.
*When more than one pulmonary function test was used, the measure marked with an asterisk was used in analysis.
†Based on abstract alone.