Table 1.

The basic information of all included trials.

Author/publication year (method)	Center/country	Number of patients	Age	Infusion time	Levosimendan	Control drug
Momeni et al. (24) (RCT)	Single/Belgium	36	7–977 d	Beginning: the onset of CPBDuration: a maximum of 48 h	Dose: 0.05–0.1 μg/kg/min	Milrinone: 0.4–0.8 μg/kg/min
Ebade et al. (25) (RCT)	Single/Egypt	50	7–38 m	Beginning: immediately after declamping of the aortaDuration: 24 h from the time of admission to the ICU	Loading: 15 μg/kg over a 10 minContinuous rate: 0.1–0.2 μg/kg/min	Dobutamine: 4–10 μg/kg/min
Lechner et al. (26) (RCT)	Single/Austria	40	<1 y	Beginning: at the time of weaning from CPBDuration: the first post-operative 24 h	Dose: 0.1 μg/kg/min	Milrinone: 0.5 μg/kg/min
Pellicer et al. (27) (RCT)	Single/Spain	20	<30 d	Beginning: before surgeryDuration: 48 h after starting infusion	Dose: 0.1–0.2 μg/kg/min	Milrinone: 0.5–1.0 μg/kg/min
Ricci et al. (28) (RCT)	Single/Italy	63	<30 d	Beginning: at the time of weaning from CPBDuration: 72 h	Dose: 0.1 μg/kg/min	The standard inotropic management
Wang et al. (29) (CCT)	Single/China	40	3.0–22.0 m	Beginning: after surgery Duration: 24 h	Dose: 0.1–0.2 μg/kg/min	Not levosimendan
Wang et al. (30) (RCT)	Single/China	187	≤48 m	Beginning: after surgery Duration: 48 h	Dose: 0.05 μg/kg/min	Placebo