OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of radial artery graft with saphenous vein graft to myocardial revascularization, in association with the internal thoracic artery. METHODS: We made a systematic review of literature, using a strategy to search articles applied to MEDLINE and LILACS databases. Two independent researchers have carried through the election of identified articles, evaluating carefully the methodology of articles considered excellent for the subject. Only the randomized controlled trials, with adjusted randomization system have been enclosed. All the situations where the researchers didn't agree there was a consensus meeting. It hasn't been stipulated restriction for postoperative period to graft angiographic evaluation, the vessel treated and enclosed patient's characteristics. The results have been expressed as Risk Relative (RR), with 95% of Confidence Interval (CI), to comparison the effectiveness between the radial artery and the saphenous vein. RESULTS: Based in these criteria three studies have been enclosed. We couldn't find statistic difference between grafts' patency studied (RR 0.53 [95% IC 0.13 - 2.18]). CONCLUSION: Despite of the studies have good methodological quality, we have not observed a result significant statistically benefiting one of the grafts. The statistical power of the meta-analysis is low, therefore, it's necessary more randomized controlled trials, with adjusted sample size to detect possible differences between the considered treatments.
Radial artery; Saphenous vein; Myocardial revascularization; Meta-analysis
