Methods	Patients were assigned to desmopressin or placebo according to a randomisation schedule. The method used to generate allocation sequences was not described. Study solutions were prepared by a research pharmacist
Participants	65 patients pre-treated with aspirin within 7 days before scheduled elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery were randomised to one of two groups Desmopressin (DDAVP) group: n = 29; M/F = 19/10; mean age (+/−SD) = 62.2 (10.4) years. Placebo group: n = 30; M/F = 23/7; mean age (+/−SD) = 62.7 (9.3) years. NB: Six patients were excluded from the analysis, three from the DDAVP group and three from the placebo group (two died intra-operatively, one inadvertently received DDAVP, and three required the insertion of an intra-aortic ballon pump)
Interventions	DDAVP group received 0.3 ug/kg of DDAVP in 50 ml of normal saline infused over a 30-minute period immediately after the completion of the heparin reversal with protamine. Placebo group received an equivalent volume of normal saline. NB: Both groups were exposed to cell salvage.
Outcomes	Number of patients transfused allogeneic blood (n) Amount of allogeneic blood transfused (units) Fresh frozen plasma (units) Platelets (units) Blood loss (ml) Mortality (n) Non-fatal myocardial infarction (n) Arrhythmia (n) Encephalopathy (n)
Notes	Quality assessment score (Schulz criteria): 5/7 Transfusion protocol not specified.
Risk of bias
Item	Authors’ judgement	Description
Adequate sequence generation?	Unclear	Method of randomisation was not described.
Allocation concealment?	Yes	A - Adequate
Blinding? All outcomes	Yes	Double blind.