Table 1. Study characters of enrolled clinical trials.

Authors, years, journals		Sample size				Arterial Grafts		Drug application			Drug dosage
NMA study lists	Journal	Total	DILT	NTG	Placebo	IMA	Radial	Drug starting	Drug ending	Drug route	DILT dosage	NTG dosage
Donegani 1986[23]	Thorac cardiovas Surgeon	40	20	20		not specified		induction GA	48 h after releasing aortic cross clamp	IV infusion	0.5~3.0 mcg/kg/min	0.5 ~1.5 mcg/kg/min
Hannes 1993[24]	Eur J Cardiothorac Surg	91	44	47		Yes		initiation of CPB	24 h after releasing aortic cross clamp	IV infusion	0.1 mg/kg/h	1 mcg/kg/min
Seitelberger 1994[25]	J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg	120	60	60		Yes		initiation of CPB	24h after releasing of aortic cross clamp	IV infusion	0.1 mg/kg/h	1 mcg/kg/min
Hannes 1995[26]	European Heart Journal	66	31	33		Yes		initiation of CPB	24 h after releasing aortic cross clamp	IV infusion	0.1 mg/kg/h	1 mcg/kg/min
Keilich 1997[27]	International Journal of Angiology	211	104	107		Yes		initiating CPB	24 h after releasing aortic cross clamp	IV infusion	0.1 mg/kg/h	1 mcg/kg/min
Malhotra 1997[28]	Eur J Cardiothorac Surg	71	34	37		Yes		initiation of CPB	24 h after starting drug infusion	IV infusion	0.1 mg/kg/h	1 mcg/kg/min
Lischke 1997[29]	Anesthetist	55	29	26		not specified		before induction of GA	reach ICU postoperatively	IV bolus and infusion	0.15 mg/kg, then 3mcg/kg/min	1 mcg/kg/min
Shapira 2000[30]	Ann Thorac Surg	161	77	84		Yes		induction GA	24h post operatively	IV infusion, oral	0.1mg/kg/min	0.1 mcg/kg/min
Lassnigg 2001[31]	Wien Klin Wochenschr	49	24	25		Yes		initiation of CPB	24 h post op	IV infusion	0.1 mg/kg/h	1 mcg/kg/min
Hirnle 2000[32]	kardiol Pol	49	24	25		Yea		48 h before CABG	24 h post op	oral and IV infusion	0.1mg/kg/min	1mg/h
Zhang 2003[33]	Natl Med J China	40	20	20		Yes		initiation of CPB	24 h after releasing of aortic cross clamp	IV infusion	0.1 mg/kg/h	1mcg/kg/min
Tabel 2004[34]	Eur J Cardiothorac Surg	60	30	30		Yes		Sternotomy	after second flow measurement	IV infusion	0.05~0.1 mg/kg/h	0.25~2.5 mcg/kg/min
Colson 1992[35]	J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth	29	15		14	not specified		induction of GA		IV infusion	2ug/kg/min
Zanardo 1993[36]	J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth	24	12		12	not specified		induction of GA	24 h post op	IV infusion	2mcg/kg/min
Amano 1995[37]	Chest	23	13		10	not specified		Sternotomy	not specified	IV bolus, infusion and oral	0.1 mg/kg bolus, 2 mcg/kg/min until unclamp, then oral 30mg q8h
Babin-Ebell 1996[38]	Eur J Cardio-thoracic Surg	70	33		37	Yes		induction GA	72h after releasing aortic cross clamp	IV infusion	0.1 mg/kg/h
Yavuz 2002[39]	Med Sci Monit	30	15		15	Yes		24 h pre-op	48 h post op	IV infusion	2 mcg kg/min
Fansa 2003[40]	Med Sci Monit	30	15		15	Yes		initiation of CPB	conclusion of CPB	IV infusion
Erdem 2015[41]	Bra J Cardiovas Surg	140	70		70	Yes	yes	induction of GA		IV infusion	2.5 mcg/kg/min
Thomson 1984[42]	Anesthesiology	20		9	11	not specified		before induction of GA	until opening of pericardium	IV infusion		0.5 mcg/kg/min
Gallagher 1986[43]	Anesthesiology	81		41	40	not specified		initiating CPB	no specified	IV infusion		1 mcg/kg/min
Withington 1988[44]	European Heart Journal	14		7	7	not specified		releasing cross clamp	not specified	IV infusion		1 mcg/kg/min
Lell et al. 1993[45]	J Card Surg	30		20	10	Yes		Induction of GA	initiation of CPB	IV infusion		1 or 2 mcg/kg/min
Knothe 1993[46]	Herz	30		15	15	Yes		induction of GA	after releasing aortic cross clamp	IV infusion		1.5 mcg/kg/min
Apostolidou 1999[47]	Ann Thorac Surg	47		30	17	Yes		after releasing aortic cross clamp	24 h post op	IV infusion		0.5~1 mcg/kg/min
Chen 2000[48]	Chinese Journal of Surgery	40		20	20	not specified		30 mins before induction of GA	24 h post op	IV infusion		10ug/kg/min
Zvara 2000[49]	J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth	39		20	20	Yes		induction of GA	6 h after extubation	IV infusion		2 mcg/kg/min

NMA, network meta-analysis; CABG, coronary artery bypass graft; CPB, cardiopulmonary bypass; GA, general anesthesia; IV, intravenous.