Overall, the committee agreed that studies using this beta-blocker were still considered relevant and should be included. For the outcome all-cause mortality, the IPD presented the results of the individual trials separately. This allowed us to exclude the BEST trial36 , which used bucindolol, from our meta-analysis. For the other reported outcomes (heart-failure related hospitalisation and non-fatal stroke), only an overall summary statistic was reported in the IPD. For this reason, we contacted the study authors and obtained the overall effect estimates for these outcomes with the BEST trial excluded from the analysis (this was a pre-specified sensitivity analysis conducted by the authors that was not reported in the main paper). The data presented and analysed in this review therefore excludes the BEST trial. Data could not be obtained for the studies CORPENICUS251 (unable to obtain full text paper) and (no extractable data). However data for these 2 studies was included in the IPD meta- analysis as published by Kotecha181 . Table 33: Summary of studies included in the review Study Intervention and comparison Population Outcomes Comments Kotecha Beta blockers (n = Bucindolol; bisoprolol; carvedilol; metoprolol; and, nebivolol Placebo (n = 1543) Matching placebo was reported in 4 included trials: ANZ; BEST; CIBIS I; and, SENIORS. Age, median years (IQR): 69 (61 74). % Female: beta-blocker: LVEF, median (IQR): 0.33). All-cause mortality (time- to-event) First heart- failure-related hospital admission (time- to-event) Non-fatal stroke (time-to-event) All outcomes reported at 3.3 years Studies included in the IPD: - ANZ - BEST - CAPRICORN - CIBIS I - CIBIS II - CORPENICUS - MDC - MERIT-HF - US-HF - SENIORS Pre-defined sensitivity analysis excluding the results of the BEST trial (bucindolol vs placebo) Chronic Heart Failure Beta-blockers in heart failure and concomitant atrial fibrillation NICE 2018. All rights reserved. 