Table 3 Quality assessment of included randomized controlled trials

Nidorf 2013 [14]

3 years (median) [minimum 2 years]

Outcome assessors only

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes (0 %, 0/532)

Raju 2012 [15]

32 days (median)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No (7.3 %, 6/82)

O’Keefe 1992 [16]

5.5 months (mean)

Yes

n/r

n/r

Yes

Unclear (unsuccessful PTCA patients excluded but randomized before PTCA)

Deftereos 2013 [7]

6 months (all)

Yes

n/r

Yes

Yes

Yes (0 %, 0/222 [clinical outcomes])

Deftereos 2014 [17]

6 months (all)

Yes

n/r

Yes

Yes

Yes (1.1 %, 3/279)

Finkelstein 2002 [23]

3 months (all)

Yes

n/r

Yes

Yes

No (32 %, 52/163)

COPE 2005 (Imazio) [18]

20 months (mean)

No

n/r

Yes

n/r

Yes (0 %)

ICAP 2013 (Imazio) [19]

18 months (all)/ 22 months (mean)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes (0 %)

CORE 2005 (Imazio) [20]

18 months (all)/ 20 months (mean)

No

n/r

Yes

n/r

Yes (0 %)

CORP 2011 (Imazio) [28]

18 months (all)/ 23 months (mean)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes (0 %)

CORP-2 2014 (Imazio) [22]

18 months (all)/ 20 months (mean)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes (0 %)

COPPS 2010/1 (Imazio) [24, 28]

19 months (mean)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes (0 %)

COPPS-2 2014 (Imazio) [25]

3 months (median)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes (0 %)

Sarzaeem 2014 [26]

7 days (mean) (hospital discharge)

Yes

n/r

n/r

Yes

Unclear (excluded patients unable to tolerate enteral medications within 48 h post cardiac surgery)

Deftereos 2012/ 2014 [17, 27]

3 months (?all)/ 15 months (median)

Yes

n/r

Yes

Yes

No (10 %, 24/230 [AFib recurrence]; 6.1 %, 14/230 [adverse events])