Table 2 Study protocol used as preprocedure reported by the included studies

ADMIT [28]

Oral aspirin 300 mg as a loading dose (or only 100 mg if the patient was on aspirin therapy) continued by 100 mg/day indefinitely, 600 mg clopidogrel loading dose continued by 75 mg/day for one year and IV 60 mg/ kg unfractionated heparin as loading dose to keep activating clotting time during procedure > 250 second.

Bulum 2012 [29]

300 mg of aspirin and 600 mg of clopidogrel and a weight-adjusted dose of unfractionated heparin; the usage of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (eptifibatide) was left to the discretion of the operator.

Chao 2008 [30]

Aspirin 300 mg and clopidogrel 300 mg were given as loading dose, with intravenous heparin 70– 100 U/kg to achieve activated clotting time (ACT) > 200 s prior to intervention.

De Luca 2006 [31]

Aspirin 300 mg orally and heparin 8000 IU intravenously before the procedure and abciximab as a 0.25 mg/kg bolus and 0.125 mg/kg/min intravenous infusion immediately before the revascularisation and continued for 12 hours.

EXPIRA [32, 33]

Aspirin 300 mg, intravenous heparin, abciximab at a standard dose, and clopidogrel 300 mg before the revascularization.

EXPORT [34]

The choice of medication during the procedure such as aspirin, heparin, clopidogrel, and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors was also at the investigator’s discretion, and were administrated according to standard hospital procedure.

IMPACT [35]

Aspirin 300 mg and clopidogrel 600 mg preloading in the ambulance and anticoagulated with a heparin bolus (70–100 U/kg) after arterial sheath insertion to achieve an activated clotting time (ACT) >250 s. Adjunctive pharmacotherapy, including abciximab and bivalirudin, was given at the operator’s discretion.

INFUSE-AMI [36, 37]

Patients undergoing primary PCI received bivalirudin anticoagulation.

ITTI [38]

Aspirin (300 mg loading followed by 100 mg daily) and clopidogrel (300 mg loading followed by 75 mg daily) and unfractionated heparin 100 IU/kg.

Kaltoft 2006 [39]

Aspirin 300 mg orally or intravenously, clopidogrel 300 mg orally, and unfractionated heparin 10 000 IE intravenously. During the intervention, all patients were treated with abciximab.

Liistro 2009 [40]

Aspirin (a loading dose of 500 mg), heparin (70 IU/kg), and clopidogrel (a loading dose of 600 mg). All patients also received the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor abciximab with an intravenous procedural bolus of 0.25 mg/kg followed by a continuous intravenous infusion of 0.125 μg/kg/min for 12 hours and postprocedural infusion without heparin.

REMEDIA [41]

Heparin (initial weight-adjusted IV bolus then further boluses administered with the aim of obtaining an activated clotting time of 250 to 300 s in patients treated with abciximab and > 300 s in the remaining subjects) and with double antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel (loading dose of 300 mg followed by 75 mg/day) for at least four weeks. Unless contraindicated, abciximab (0.25 mg/kg bolus plus infusion of 0.125 μg/kg/min for 12 h) was intravenously administered in all patients undergoing primary PCI, whereas in those with failed thrombolysis, abciximab use was left to the operator’s discretion.

Shehata 2014 [25]

Aspirin (a loading dose of 500 mg), heparin (70 IU/kg), and clopidogrel (a loading dose of 600 mg). All patients also received the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor abciximab with an intravenous procedural bolus of 0.25 mg/kg followed by a continuous intravenous infusion of 0.125 g/kg/min for 12 hours and postprocedural infusion without heparin.

Sim 2013 [42]

Aspirin 300 mg, clopidogrel 600 mg, intravenous unfractionated heparin and nitroglycerin. Oral atenolol 50–100 mg was given to optimize heart rate ≤ 65 beats per minute prior to CT scan, unless contraindicated.

TAPAS [43, 44]

Aspirin (a loading dose of 500 mg), heparin (5000 IU), and clopidogrel (a loading dose of 600 mg). Patients also received the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor abciximab, with the dose based on body weight, unless contra-indicated, and additional heparin, with the dose based on the activated clotting time.

TASTE [26, 27]

Patients received the following procedure-related medication: bivalirudin, clopidogrel or ticlopidine, acetylsalicylic acid, ticagrelor, prasugrel, heparin, low-molecular-weight heparin, and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa blocker. The use of platelet inhibitors or anticoagulants was left to the discretion of the treating physician.

TOTAL [6]

Unfractionated heparin; bivalirudin; enoxaparin and; glycoprotein IIb/IIa inhibitor.

TROFI [45, 46]

Heparin in ambulance.

VAMPIRE [47]

Aspirin and intravenous heparin boluses were administered during the procedure to maintain an activated clotting time ≥ 300 s.

Yin 2011 [48]

Aspirin 300 mg and clopidogrel 300 mg prior to angiography.