Table 2

Risk of bias assessment of included studies

Author (year)	Adequate sequence generation	Allocation concealment	Outcome blinding	Intention-to- treat analysis	Groups balanced at baseline	Complete outcome reported
Austin (2005)	√	√	X	√	√	√
Belardinelli (1999)	?	?	?	?	√	√
Belardinelli (2012)	?	?	?	√	√	√
Bocalini (2008)	?	?	?	X	√	√
DANREHAB (2008)	√	√	√	√	√	√
Davidson (2010)	√	?	√	√	√	√
Dracup (2007)	?	?	?	√	√	√
Gary (2010)	?	?	√	√	√	√
Giannuzzi (2003)	?	?	?	√	√	√
Gielen (2003)	?	?	?	√	√	√
Gottleib (1999)	?	?	?	?	√	√
Hambrecht (1995)	?	?	?	?	√	√
Hambrecht (1998)	?	?	?	√	√	√
Hambrecht (2000)	√	?	?	√	√	√
HF-ACTION (2009)	√	√	√	√	√	√
Jolly (2009)	√	√	X	√	?	√
Jónsdóttir (2006)	?	?	?	√	√	√
Keteyian (1996)	?	?	?	√	√	√
Kletcha (2007)	?	?	?	?	√	√
Klocek (2005)	?	?	?	?	√	√
Koukouvou (2004)	?	?	√	?	√	√
McKelvie (2002)	√	√	√	?	√	√
Mueller (2007)	?	?	?	?	√	√
Myers (2000)	?	?	?	√	√	√
Nilsson (2008)	?	?	√	√	√	√
Normal (2012)	?	?	X	√	√	√
Passino (2006)	?	?	?	?	√	√
Pozehl (2007)	?	?	?	?	√	√
Wall (2010)	?	?	?	√	√	√
Willenheimer (2001)	?	?	√	?	√	√
Witham (2005)	√	?	√	√	√	√
Witham (2012)	√	√	?	√	√	√
Yeh (2011)	√	?	√	√	√	√

√, risk of bias criteria met; X, risk of bias criteria not met; ?, inadequate reporting to assess risk of bias criteria.
HF, heart failure.