Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The STEP trials

A round-up of the STEP phase 3 clinical trials evaluating semaglutide for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Critical Care
Published in: Critical Care 6/2011

01-12-2011 | Letter

Can a meta-analysis that mixes apples with oranges be used to demonstrate that levosimendan reduces mortality after coronary revascularization?

Authors: Massimo Meco, Silvia Cirri

Published in: Critical Care | Issue 6/2011

Login to get access

Excerpt

We read with a great deal of interest the recently published meta-analysis of Maharaj and Metaxa [1] describing the effects of levosimendan on mortality after coronary revascularization. The authors concluded that levosimendan is able to reduce mortality in patients undergoing myocardial revascularization. Their conclusion, however, is unreliable and misleading for several reasons. …
Literature
1.
Maharaj R, Metaxa V: Levosimendan and mortality after coronary revascularization: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Crit Care 2011, 15: R140. 10.1186/cc10263PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
2.
Green S: Systematic reviews and meta-analysis. Singapore Med J 2005, 46: 270-273.PubMed
3.
Barisin S, Husedzinovic I, Sonicki Z, Bradic N, Barisin A, Tonkovic D: Levosimendan in off-pump coronary artery bypass: a four-times masked controlled study. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 2004, 44: 703-708. 10.1097/00005344-200412000-00013CrossRefPubMed
4.
De Hert SG, Lorsomradee S, Cromheecke S, Van der Linden PJ: The effects of levosimendan in cardiac surgery patients with poor left ventricular function. Anesth Analg 2007, 104: 766-773. 10.1213/01.ane.0000256863.92050.d3CrossRefPubMed
5.
Tritapepe L, De Santis V, Vitale D, Guarracino F, Pellegrini F, Pietropaoli P, Singer M: Levosimendan pre-treatment improves outcomes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Br J Anaesth 2009, 102: 198-204. 10.1093/bja/aen367CrossRefPubMed
6.
Aiello F, Attanasio M, Tine F: Assessing covariate imbalance in meta-analysis studies. Stat Med 2011, 30: 2671-2682. 10.1002/sim.4311CrossRefPubMed
7.
8.
Macarthur C, Foran PJ, Bailar JC: Qualitative assessment of studies included in a meta-analysis: DES and the risk of pregnancy loss. J Clin Epidemiol 1995, 48: 739-747. 10.1016/0895-4356(94)00190-2CrossRefPubMed
9.
Landoni G, Biondi-Zoccai G, Greco M, Greco T, Bignami E, Morelli A, Guarracino F, Zangrillo A: Effects of levosimendan on mortality and hospitalization. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies. Crit Care Med 2011. [Epub ahead of print]
Metadata
Title
Can a meta-analysis that mixes apples with oranges be used to demonstrate that levosimendan reduces mortality after coronary revascularization?
Authors
Massimo Meco
Silvia Cirri
Publication date
01-12-2011
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Critical Care / Issue 6/2011
Electronic ISSN: 1364-8535
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/cc10484

Other articles of this Issue 6/2011

Critical Care 6/2011 Go to the issue

Letter

Echinocandins - first line in invasive candidiasis: how strong is this 'strong' evidence?

Commentary

Defining the adequate arterial pressure target during septic shock: not a 'micro' issue but the microcirculation can help

Viewpoint

Teamwork and team training in the ICU: Where do the similarities with aviation end?

Commentary

Enteral nutrition: better navigation, yet unknown destination?

Review

Year in review 2010: Critical Care - neurocritical care

Research

Baseline characteristics and hospital mortality in the Acute Heart Failure Database (AHEAD) Main registry