| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
Double‐blind, randomized, palcebo‐controlled |
| Participants |
Any open heart surgery (randomization was stratified by CABG vs valve) |
| Interventions |
Fast‐load amiodarone vs. Slow‐load amiodarone vs. placebo |
| Outcomes |
AF lasting more than 5 minutes or symptomatic; Mortality; Stroke; LOS |
| Follow‐Up |
Hospital discharge, 1 month postop |
| Concurrent Antiarrhythmic Medications |
Beta‐blockers |
| Notes |
|
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Low risk |
"The four randomization tables used in the study... were generated using commercially available statistical software" |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Low risk |
"The hospital pharmacy dispensed all study medication..." |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Double‐blind |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Double‐blind |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
|
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Unclear risk |
Protocol not available |
| Intention‐to‐treat analysis |
Low risk |
Yes |
