Table 1.

Characteristics of included trials.

References	No. of patients	Intervention in group 1	Intervention in group 2	Age	Female (%)	Severity score system	Baseline severity score	Therapy duration
Annane et al. 200726	330	EPI	NOREPI + DOB	63	39	SAPS II	53	As required to day 28
De Backer et al.3	1044	DOPA	NOREPI	NR	NR	NR	NR	As required to day 28
Lauzier et al. 200627	23	VASO	NOREPI	54	39	APACHE II	23	Up to 48 h
Mahmoud & Ammar 201228	60	NOREPI + DOB	NOREPI + EPI	51	48	SOFA	15	NR
Morelli et al. 200829	32	NOREPI	PHENYL	70	34	SAPS II	56	Up to 12 h
Morelli et al.30	45	NOREPI	VASO/TERLI	66	27	SAPS II	60	Up to 48 h
Myburgh et al. 200831	158	EPI	NOREPI	NR	NR	NR	NR	Until target MAP without vasopressor
Oliveira et al. 201432	407	NOREPI	VASO	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR
Patel et al. 200233	24	NOREPI	VASO	68	25	APACHE II	23	Up to 4 h
Patel et al. 201034	252	DOPA	NOREPI	NR	54	APACHE II	28	As required to day 28
Russell et al.4	802	NOREPI	VASO	61	38	APACHE II	27	As required
Svoboda et al. 201235	32	TERLI	NOREPI	73	38	SOFA	18	Up to 72 h
Zambolim et al.36	107	VASO	NOREPI	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR

APACHE: acute physiology and chronic health evaluation; DOB: dobutamine; DOPA: dopamine; EPI: epinephrine; MAP: mean arterial pressure; NOREPI: norepinephrine; NR: not reported; PHENYL: phenylephrine; SAPS: simplified acute physiology score; SOFA: sequential organ failure assessment; TERLI: terlipressin; VASO: vasopressin.