| Methods |
Six‐mo multicenter parallel trial with third ibopamine arm; primary endpoint—EX; secondary endpoints—"heart failure score," change in plasma norepinephrine |
| Participants |
108 pts; mean age 61; 86% male; 80% Class II, 20% Class III; 100% on diuretics, none on ACEI or beta‐blockers; dx—69% ischemic, 31% idiopathic; valvular disease excluded |
| Interventions |
dig dosage 0.25 mg/d, mean plasma level 0.94 ng/mL |
| Outcomes |
for dig versus pla, EX +1.6% & ‐5.8% (P value 0.008); no significant difference in "heart failure score;" plasma norepinephrine values changed
by ‐106 pg/mL for dig & +62 pg/mL for pla (P < 0.001) |
| Notes |
blind allocation—yes
blinded to outcomes—?
baselines comparable—yes
loss to follow‐up—?
dig titrated to level—no |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Low risk |
A—Adequate |
