title: Preoperative intra-aortic balloon pump to reduce mortality in coronary artery bypass graft: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The intra-aortic balloon pump is routinely used in cardiac surgery; however, its impact on outcome is still a matter of debate and several randomized trials have been published recently. We perform an updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that investigated the use of preoperative intra-aortic balloon pump in adult patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Potentially eligible trials were identified by searching the Medline, Embase, Scopus, ISI Web of Knowledge and The Cochrane Library. Searches were not restricted by language or publication status and were updated in August 2014. Randomized controlled trials on preoperative intra-aortic balloon pump in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting either with or without cardiopulmonary bypass were identified. The primary end point was mortality at the longest follow-up available and the secondary end point was 30-day mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The eight included randomized clinical trials enrolled 625 patients (312 to the intra-aortic balloon pump group and 313 to control). The use of intra-aortic balloon pump was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of mortality (11 of 312 (3.5%) versus 33 of 313 (11%), risk ratio = 0.38 (0.20 to 0.73), P for effect = 0.004, P for heterogeneity = 0.7, I-square = 0%, with eight studies included). The benefit on mortality reduction was confirmed restricting the analysis to trials with low risk of bias, to those reporting 30-day follow-up and to patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative intra-aortic balloon pump reduces perioperative and 30-day mortality in high-risk patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, Milan, 20132, Italy. zangrillo.alberto@hsr.it.|Vita-Salute University San Raffaele of Milan, Via Olgettina, 58, 20132, Milan, Italy. zangrillo.alberto@hsr.it.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zangrillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, Milan, 20132, Italy. pappalardo.federico@hsr.it.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pappalardo
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, Milan, 20132, Italy. roberto.dossi87@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dossi
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, Milan, 20132, Italy. ambra.diprima@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ambra Licia
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Di Prima
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, Milan, 20132, Italy. antigone47@libero.itl.
authors.forename: Marta Eugenia
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Sassone
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, Milan, 20132, Italy. greco.teresa@hotmail.it.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, Milan, 20132, Italy. monaco.fabrizio@hsr.it.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Monaco
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences "M. Aresu", Cagliari University, Bivio di Sestu 554, 09042, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy. mmusu@medicina.unica.it.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Musu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences "M. Aresu", Cagliari University, Bivio di Sestu 554, 09042, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy. gabriele.finco@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Finco
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, Milan, 20132, Italy. landoni.giovanni@hsr.it.|Vita-Salute University San Raffaele of Milan, Via Olgettina, 58, 20132, Milan, Italy. landoni.giovanni@hsr.it.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Landoni
mesh_terms: D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D007423:Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality; D011300:Preoperative Care; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate