Table 1.

 Key features of included studies

Trial	Patients	Experimental group treatment	Control group treatment	Age (years)	Male (%)	Ischemic heart failure (%)	Baseline LVEF (%)	Follow-up (months)	Outcomes reported*
ANZ13	415	Carvedilol	Placebo	67	80	88	29	19	1,2,3,4,5
BEST14	2708	Bucindolol	Placebo	60	77	58	23	36	1,2,3,4,5
Bristow et al15	139	Bucindolol	Placebo	56	62	29	26	3	1,2,3,4,5
CARMEN16	381	Carvedilol	Enalapril	62	77	68	<40	22	1,2,4
Carvedilol Efficacy/Cohn et al17	105	Carvedilol	Placebo	60	54	44	22	6	1,4,5
CHRISTMAS18	387	Carvedilol	Placebo	62	90	89	30	6	1,4,5
CIBIS19	641	Bisoprolol	Placebo	60	83	56	25	23	1,2,3,4
CIBIS II20	2647	Bisoprolol	Placebo	61	81	50	28	16	1,2,3,4
CIBIS III21	1010	Bisoprolol	Enalapril	72	66	61	29	24	1,4
Colucci et al22	366	Carvedilol	Placebo	55	86	44	23	12	1,3,4,5
COMET10	3029	Carvedilol	Metoprolol	62	79	51	26	58	1,2,3,4
COPERNICUS23	2289	Carvedilol	Placebo	63	79	67	20	10	1,4
ENECA24	260	Nebivolol	Placebo	72	70	60	25	12	1,2,4,5
MERIT HF 2000 and 200225,26	3991	Metoprolol	Placebo	64	77	65	28	12	1,4
MOCHA/Bristow et al27	345	Carvedilol	Placebo	60	76	52	23	6	1,2,3,4
Packer et al28	1094	Carvedilol	Placebo	58	77	48	23	12	1,2,3,4
PRECISE29	278	Carvedilol	Placebo	59	74	50	22	6	1,4,5
RESOLVD30	426	Metoprolol	Placebo	62	79	69	28	6	1,2,4,5
SENIORS31	2128	Nebivolol	Placebo	76	72	69	36	21	1,2,3,4
Sturm et al32	100	Atenolol	Placebo	51	87	31	17	24	1,2,3,4
Waagstein et al-MDC33	383	Metoprolol	Placebo	49	75	NA	22	18	1,3,4,5

LVEF=left ventricular ejection fraction.

*1=death; 2=cardiovascular death; 3=sudden death; 4=drug discontinuation; 5=change in LVEF (%).