Table 2.
Description of trials included in this study.
| Trial | N | Treatment groups | Clinical setting | Total mortality (%) |
Mean follow-up (months) |
Run-in period | Reported outcome | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drug | Placebo | |||||||
| CIBIS | 641 | Bisoprolol vs placebo | NYHA III–IV, EF ≤ 40% | 16.6 | 20.8 | 22.8 | No | Increasing β-blocker dose in severe HF confers functional benefit |
| CIBIS-II | 2647 | Bisoprolol vs placebo | NYHA III–IV, EF ≤ 35% | 11.8 | 17.3 | 15.6 | No | Bisoprolol reduces mortality in CHF patients at all tolerated dose levels |
| BEST | 2708 | Bucindolol vs placebo | NYHA III–IV, EF ≤ 35% | 30.0 | 33.0 | 24 | No | Bucindolol results in no significant overall mortality benefit in HF patients |
| CAPRICORN | 1959 | Carvedilol vs placebo | Post MI, EF ≤ 40% On ACE-I |
11.9 | 15.4 | 15.6 | No | Carvedilol reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, and recurrent, non-fatal myocardial infarctions. |
| COPERNICUS | 2289 | Carvedilol vs placebo | NYHA III–IV, EF ≤ 25% On ACE-I |
12.8 | 19.7 | 10.4 | No | Carvedilol reduces mortality by 34% in HF patients, ameliorates severity of HF |
| PRECISE | 278 | Carvedilol vs placebo | NYHA III–IV, EF ≤ 35% | N/A | N/A | 6 | Open-label carvedilol | Carvedilol produces important clinical benefits in patients with moderate–severe HF |
| US Heart Failure Study Group I | 366 | Carvedilol vs placebo | NYHA III–IV, EF ≤ 35% | 0.9 | 4.0 | 12 | Open-label carvedilol | Carvedilol reduces clinical progression in mildly symptomatic, well compensated HF patients |
| Krum et al. | 49 | Carvedilol vs placebo | NYHA III–IV, EF ≤ 35% | 6.0 | 18.0 | 3.5 | Open-label carvedilol | Carvedilol produces clinical & haemodynamic improvement in severe HF |
| MERIT-HF | 3991 | Metoprolol vs Placebo | NYHA II–IV, EF ≤ 40% | 7.2 | 11.0 | 12 | Single-blind placebo | Metoprolol in addition to optimum standard therapy improves survival in HF patients |
| The MDC study | 383 | Metoprolol vs placebo | NYHA II–III, EF ≤ 40% From idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy |
11.9 | 11.1 | 12 | Open-label metoprolol | Metoprolol prevents clinical deterioration, improves symptoms and cardiac function in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy |
| SENIORS | 2128 | Nebivolol vs placebo | EF ≤ 35% or HF hospitalisation in last 12 months | 15.8 | 18.1 | 21 | No | Nebivolol is an effective and well tolerated β-Blocker in the elderly |
| Wisenbaugh et al. | 44 | Nebivolol vs placebo | EF ≤ 40%, NYHA II–III | N/A | N/A | 3 | Placebo (patients replaced) | Nebivolol improves stroke volume, EF and LVEDP |
| MOCHA study | 345 | Carvedilol vs placebo | EF ≤ 35%, NYHA II–III | 4.6 | 15.5 | 6 | Open-label carvedilol | Carvedilol improves mortality and risk of hospitalisations in HF patients |