Methods	Patients were randomly assigned to one of two patient groups according to a system which used a series of sealed envelopes. The method of generating allocation sequences was not described
Participants	70 patients undergoing various cardiac operations requiring cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) were randomly assigned to one of two groups Desmopressin (DDAVP) group: n = 35; M/F = 21/14. Placebo group: n = 35; M/F = 21/14. NB: One patient died in the operating room before receiving the study drug, and a second was withdrawn from the study at the request of the surgeon after randomisation but before treatment with the study drug. Neither of these patients were included in the analysis of the data
Interventions	DDAVP group received 0.3 ug/kg in 50 ml solution over 15 minutes when cardiopulmonary bypass had been concluded, immediately after protamine was administered. Placebo group received an equivalent volume of placebo solution (not specified).
Outcomes	Amount of allogeneic blood transfused (units) Blood loss (ml) Mortality (n) Myocardial infarction (n) Re-operation for bleeding (n) Cardiac arrest (n) Stroke (n)
Notes	Quality assessment score (Schulz criteria): 4/7 Transfusion protocol not specified.
Risk of bias
Item	Authors’ judgement	Description
Adequate sequence generation?	Unclear	Method of randomisation was not described.
Allocation concealment?	No	C - Inadequate
Blinding? All outcomes	Yes	Double blind.