Hearing Screening in High-Risk Neonates Using Distortion Product Oto-Acoustic Emission.

The prevalence of hearing loss is 0.09-2.3% in low risk neonates, and 0.3-14.1% in the high-risk population. The treatment requires early identification by neonatal hearing screening and early rehabilitation. OAE (oto-acoustic emission) and ABR (Auditory Brain Response) are the two objective tests used to evaluate hearing loss in neonates. OAE tests the biological response of the cochlea to auditory stimuli. ABR tests the auditory pathway. The aim is to estimate hearing loss in high-risk neonates using the Distortion Product Oto- acoustic emission (DP OAE) and to correlate the associated high-risk factors. This was a cross-sectional study conducted between March 2021 to September 2022. Newborns satisfying the inclusion criteria were included in the study. DP- OAE is performed to screen for hearing loss within 48 h of birth. Infants failing the first screening test are then examined for treatable causes and then repeated at 2 weeks. Newborns who fail the second DP-OAE are subjected to ABR for confirmation of hearing loss. A total of 100 high risk neonates underwent hearing screen using DP-OAE. Most common risk factors seen in our study are prematurity (22%), Low birth weight (< 2.5 kg) (20%), Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia (17%), Maternal risk factors (GDM) (14%). Most neonates with prematurity failed the hearing test with significant p-value of 0.05. DP- OAE test can be successfully implemented as newborn hearing screening method, for early detection of hearing impairment to achieve the high quality standard of screening programs.

Evaluation of Improvement in Chronic Rhinosinusitis After Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Using Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT22) Symptom Score.

Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) symptom score is the most widely used questionnaire due to its easy interpretation with respect to quality of life (QOL) in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). It helps in deciding further treatment plan in patients with refractory CRS despite maximal medical therapy (MMT). Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) is suggested in patients not responding to medical treatment. The preoperative and post-operative QOL for patients with CRS is assessed using SNOT-22. To assess SNOT-22 score change in CRS resistant to MMT. This is a longitudinal study conducted from April 2021-September 2022 included patients diagnosed to have CRS, satisfying the inclusion criteria. SNOT-22 for symptom severity assessed at the first visit, 1 week and 12 weeks and after MMT. Patients who failed MMT, posted for ESS. Post-operatively SNOT-22 symptom score re-assessed at 15 days, 1 month, 2 months and 3 months. 56 patients (male-51% and female-49%) who failed to respond to MMT included in the study. The five major troublesome symptoms nasal blockage (92.86%), need to blow nose (75%), facial pressure/pain (53.57%), post nasal discharge (51.79%), and sneezing (42.86%). The mean SNOT-22 symptom score when compared with pre-operatively (69.54 ± 8.973) and after FESS (2.09 ± 1.881) had improved significantly (p < 0.001). CRS is more frequently seen in males aged between 21 and 30 years. The patient-based outcome measures, like SNOT-22 helps to foresee the extent of post- operative improvement. The effective management of CRS is by surgical intervention.

High-sensitivity troponin I for cardiovascular risk stratification in the general asymptomatic population: Perspectives from Asia-Pacific.

Cardiac troponin is a sensitive and specific biomarker for acute myocardial injury and has been used in the diagnosis of acute coronary syndromes, and has emerged as a tool for identifying high risk individuals for primary preventive therapy. Recent evidence has emerged indicating that high-sensitivity cardiac troponin assays, which allow robust detection of very low troponin concentrations, could detect subclinical injury in asymptomatic patients. On 24 March 2018, a group of cardiologists from the Asia Pacific region convened to review the data and discuss the potential utility of high-sensitivity troponin I (hsTnI) in the risk assessment of cardiovascular disease in the general population. The group recognized the immense burden of cardiovascular disease in the Asia-Pacific region, and the limitations of current risk stratification strategies. Data demonstrates that cardiac biomarkers like hsTnI could improve risk stratification, and thresholds for hsTnI in cardiovascular disease risk classification have been developed in Caucasian populations but not validated in Asian populations. There is an urgent need to improve cardiovascular risk assessment in the Asia Pacific general population, validate the Asian threshold of high risk and prove the utility of targeting these high-risk individuals for primary preventive strategies.

A study on the impact of CYP2C19 genotype and platelet reactivity assay on patients undergoing PCI.

BACKGROUND: A thorough understanding of the patient's genotype and their functional response to a medication is necessary for improving event free survival. Several outcome studies support this view particularly if the patient is to be started on clopidogrel due to the prevalence of clopidogrel resistance. Such guided therapy has reduced the incidence of Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE) after stent implantation. METHODS: Between August 2013 and August 2014, 200 patients with coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were prescribed any one of the anti-platelet medications such as clopidogrel, prasugrel or ticagrelor and offered testing to detect CYP2C19 gene mutations along with a platelet reactivity assay (PRA). Intended outcome was modification of anti-platelet therapy defined as either dose escalation of clopidogrel or replacement of clopidogrel with prasugrel or ticagrelor for the patients in clopidogrel arm, and replacement of ticagrelor or prasugrel with clopidogrel if those patients were non-carrier of mutant genes and also if they demonstrated bleeding tendencies in the ticagrelor and prasugrel arms. CONCLUSION: Clopidogrel resistance was observed to be 16.5% in our study population. PRA was useful in monitoring the efficacy of thienopyridines. By having this test, one can be safely maintained on clopidogrel in non-carriers, or with increased dose of clopidogrel in intermediate metabolizers or with newer drugs such as ticagrelor or prasugrel in poor metabolizers. Patients on ticagrelor and prasugrel identified as non-carriers of gene mutations for clopidogrel metabolism could be offered clopidogrel resulting in economic benefits to the patients. Patients at high risk of bleeding were also identified by the PRA.

Xeroderma pigmentosum: clinicopathological review of the multiple oculocutaneous malignancies and complications.

Multiple oculo-cutaneous malignancies are a common manifestation on sun-exposed facial areas in patients with Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP). Commonly seen are the basal cell carcinoma and the squamous cell carcinomas which manifest in the early first decade in contrast to fifth and sixth decade in the general population. XP manifests as photosensitivity, hyperpigmentation, premature skin aging and malignant changes like squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, fibrosarcoma and rarely malignant melanoma as well as internal malignancies. We report 11 cases of Xeroderma pigmentosa managed in our institute which included sex males and five females. All had photosensitivity, hyperpigmentation and consanguinity with facial malignant lesions like SCC and BCC. Ocular signs of photophobia and excessive lacrimation was seen in all the cases while blurring of vision due to corneal clouding, corneal injection, pterygium and limbal SCC were seen in 5 cases. SCC of the lids were seen in 7 cases while BCC seen in 8 cases and limbal and conjunctival SCC seen in one case. All were managed with excision while one case of melanoma with neck secondaries needed radical neck dissection while the other orbital exenteration. Oculo-cutaneous malignancies occur in the sun exposed areas so patients are advised regular follow up with speciality care. Awareness about the rare condition and importance of early detection and prevention of UV rays induced skin damage should be propagated. The disease is ultimately fatal, life can be prolonged by simple preventive measures to minimize sun exposure and early detection of the skin lesions and management.

Chondroradionecrosis of larynx a delayed complication of radiotherapy: management and review of literature.

UNLABELLED: Background/objectives Chondroradionecrosis (CRN) of the larynx is a rare and grave complication of radiotherapy which can be fatal if not managed aggressively. A recent trend towards organ preservation protocols towards even advanced stage laryngeal malignancies and with further advances in terms of technology and safety radiation as external beam and intensity modulated varieties are preferred for certain stages of squamous cell carcinomas. Materials and methods We are reporting a series of 4 cases of CRN of the larynx treated in our hospital with 3 cases of stage III carcinoma glottis and one stage III carcinoma supraglottis with no nodal metastasis. One glottis cancer had 2 sittings of laser microlaryngeal excision earlier. All were in grade 4 CRN and one improved with medical line and HBO and the other 3 progressed and salvage laryngectomy and pectoralis major myocutaneous flap to cover the fistulous skin defect was grafted. CONCLUSION: Laryngeal CRN being a rare and intensely morbid complication of radiotherapy should be suspected and diagnosed at the earliest by endoscopic and imaging methods. Disease progression and chances of tumor recurrence should be followed up with PET CT and a call on salvage laryngectomy with repair of the anterior neck defects with non irradiated musculocutaneous flaps or vascularised tissue transfer should be promptly taken.

Anatomic and mechanical considerations in restoring volume of the face with use of hyaluronic acid fillers with a novel layered technique.

CONTEXT: Facial fillers have revolutionized the field of cosmetic facial rejuvenation as it has become the prime sought - after rejuvenation procedure offering youthful, 3-dimensional look with minimal invasiveness. Fillers are expensive and need to be redone periodically hence a sound understanding of structural basis on which they are laid is important in reducing the quantity of filler required in each sitting as well as increasing the longevity of results. AIM: The aim of the following study is to analyse a novel method of facial filling "The pillars pyramids and tie beams (PPT)" technique and its advantages over the conventional methods. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A novel technique of injecting the facial fillers was employed on 67 patients visiting our clinic. These patients were followed-up for a period of 3 years. RESULTS: We observed that the amount of filler material required in initial sitting remains the same, however the frequency of touch up visits is decreased and so is the amount of filler material required for follow-up injections. CONCLUSION: Facial contour remodelling is being revolutionised by the new filler materials for volume augmentation and no uniform consensus has been reached on the techniques currently used in clinical practice. We advocate this novel PPT technique of facial filling in facial rejuvenation to restore a youthful look as a primary goal.

Genetics of coronary artery disease - a clinician's perspective.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the major cause of fatality and disability among all cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Intricate interactions of genes and environment dictate the outcomes of CAD. Technological advances in the different fields of genetics including linkage studies (LS), candidate gene studies (CGS) and genome-wide association studies (GWA studies) have augmented the knowledge of pathogenesis of CAD. LS were more successful in identifying genetic variants among monogenic disease. GWA studies were relatively popular in identification of variation in polygenic disease. Until now, GWA studies recognized about 50 loci determining around 6% of the heritability in CAD. Clinical utility of the above knowledge would result in better CAD management, but validation of the variants in native population is warranted for active adoption into the clinic. The major aim of this review is to provide an adequate perspective of our current understanding and advances of genetics in CAD.

Paragangliomas of the carotid body: current management protocols and review of literature.

Paraganglioma is a rare neoplasm arising from carotid body usually benign and constitute 0.5 % of all total body tumors. They constitute 60-70 % of head and neck paraganglioma and resemble other paragangliomas of the body like glomus jugulare, glomus tympanicum, and pheochromocytoma. This is a retrospective analysis of the medical records of carotid body paraganglioma cases. Nine patients operated during the study period and the follow up traced were included in the study. Seven females and 2 males were analysed. Six had tumor on the left side and 3 had on the right side. All the cases surgical excision was done by a tranverse incision as 2 patients had Shamblin I, 5 patients had Shamblin II, and 1 patients Shamblin IIIa. All the Shamblin I had tumor away from the carotids and were easily dissected without vessel damage, a sub adventitial tumor excision was performed in all the 5 cases of Shamblin II, 1 case of Shamblin IIIa was dissected with difficulty without sacrificing or vessel reconstruction. Paraganglioma of the carotid body should be considered as a differential diagnosis for painless lateral neck masses. Larger tumors need a multidisciplinary team of head and neck with vascular surgeons for better results.

Cutaneous malignancies in xeroderma pigmentosum: earlier management improves survival.

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare autosomal recessive disease, characterized by hypersensitivity of the skin to ultraviolet (UV) radiation leading to high incidence of skin cancer and progressive neurological complications. It results in premature development of neoplasias due to an exacerbated hypersensitivity to UV radiation causing premalignant and malignant lesions leading to death in early adulthood. Two cases of clinical features of xeroderma pigmentosa with skin lesions were managed in our department. One had multiple clusters of basal and squamous cell carcinomas and the other had malignant melanomas and right neck nodes. Both were treated with multiple wide excisions and the neck node were surgically managed with radical neck dissections. Skin malignancies were common in the sun exposed areas and patients were advised regular 3 months follow up. The disease is ultimately fatal, life can be prolonged by simple preventive measures to minimize sun exposure. Comprehensive multimodality management includes patient education and counselling for the psychosomatic disorder and genetic counseling remains the most important preventive measure.

Laryngeal paraganglioma: a rare clinical entity managed by supraselective embolization and lateral pharygotomy.

Laryngeal paragangliomas are benign slow growing tumors with symptoms resembling squamous cell carcinoma. Hoarseness or dysphasia are the commonest presenting symptoms and usually it presents as an submucosal mass on laryngoscopy. Ninety percentage of these tumors occur in the supraglottic larynx and the rest in the glottis and the subglottic region. Functional activity is seen in a few (2.9 %), none are associated with paraneoplastic syndromes. A 35-year-old male presented to us with hoarseness of voice since 4 months duration. Contrast arteriography demonstrated that the left superior thyroid artery supplied >80 % of the blood supply to the laryngeal mass. Supraselective embolization was done from the right femorals under local anaesthesia and sedation which was uneventfull. The tumor was excised from lateral pharyngotomy approach with an partial laryngectomy procedure. Microscopy and immune-histochemistry confirmed it to be paraganglioma. Complete surgical resection or partial laryngectomy with meticulous dissection of surrounding tissues and preservation of neurovascular structures gives an excellent prognosis as far as oncological clearance is concerned. Malignant paragangliomas of the larynx are rare and an major meta-analysis is necessary to provide a true biological behaviour of this tumor.

Paediatric nasopharyngeal carcinoma: an 8-year study from a tertiary care cancer centre in South India.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) accounts for less than 1 % of all paediatric cancers. Advances in imaging, radiation delivery, chemotherapy and improvement in multidisciplinary care have resulted in drastic changes in the outcome of this disease. Since NPC is extremely rare in paediatric population and there is paucity of data in Indian patients, we conducted the present study to analyze the outcome of paediatric NPC. Eighteen patients aged 18 years or less, who had pathologically proven diagnosis of NPC and had received treatment at our institute from 2003 to 2010 was included for analysis. These patients were treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Event free survival, local and systemic relapse and progression were analysed. These outcomes were correlated with age, radiation dose and the stage of disease. Majority of patients presented with advanced stage and poor histological grade (94.4 % had WHO Type III disease). The median follow up was 38 months (range 3-91 months). The estimated event free survival at a follow up of 5 years was 64.28 %. Distant metastasis at presentation and lower radiation dose were predictive of poor outcome. Paediatric NPC usually presents in an advanced stage. Our results are comparable to studies which have used only chemoradiotherapy, are far inferior to studies which have used chemoradiotherapy and adjuvant immunotherapy. Larger prospective studies are required to define the role of adjuvant immunotherapy, the optimum dose and schedule of chemoradiotherapy and role of new agents like cetuximab in Indian paediatric patients.

Endonasal DCR with Silicon Tube Stents: A Better Management for Acute Lacrimal Abscesses.

Acute dacryocystitis, or inflammation of the lacrimal sac with lacrimal abscess, is almost always secondary to nasolacrimal duct obstruction. The standard practice for the treatment is incision and drainage because of concerns about the risks of exacerbation and spread of infection. Here we tried to evaluate primary EnDCR as a treatment for acute dacryocystitis with abscess formation. Department of ENT, Head and Neck Surgery, KVG Medical College, Sullia. This is comparative case series analysis study done in our medical college hospital during the study period 61 months from January 2007 to November 2011. 31 cases of acute dacryocystitis with lacrimal abscess managed were included in the study. 13 cases were operated primarily with EnDCR. Rest of the 18 cases was managed conventionally by incision and drainage and later by an external approach of DCR. Swelling disappeared intraoperatively in all EnDCR cases while medial canthal edema and erythema completely reduced within 2-3 days post-operatively. While in incision and drainage swelling disappeared partially intraoperatively and repeated draining was needed on the 2nd and 3rd day. The mean VAS score on first post operative day was 3.14 in group A and was 4.64 in group B. Group A had faster pain relief with 92.3% improvement in epiphora while group B had slower pain relief but epiphora remained. Mean intraoperative blood was 65 ml in group A and minimal in group B. Primary EnDCR is successful as a procedure of choice for acute dacryocystitis with abscess preventing further episodes of abscess formation and epiphora in the patients. We recommend EnDCR as the treatment of choice for acute dacryocystitis with lacrimal abscesses.

Tonsillo-Styloidectomy for Eagle's Syndrome: A Review of 15 Cases in KVG Medical College Sullia.

Elongated styloid process causing Eagle's Syndrome is a rare clinical entity and the diagnosis is often difficult as a result of its vague symptomatology. However, palpation of tonsillar fossa with radiological demonstration of the elongated styloid process confirms the diagnosis. This is a report of a retrospective study conducted at the KVG Medical College, Hospital, Sullia, Karnataka, India where 15 patients who were surgically treated for Eagle's syndrome in the ENT department were retrospectively studied. Fourteen patients became symptom free after surgery within three months of follow up. Tonsillo-styloidectomy is the treatment of choice for Eagle's syndrome with a high success rate.

Genetic interactions between MTHFR (C677T), methionine synthase (A2756G, C2758G) variants with vitamin B12 and folic acid determine susceptibility to premature coronary artery disease in Indian population.

BACKGROUND: Researchers have determined that Indians face a higher risk of heart disease, despite the fact that nearly half of them are vegetarians and lack many of the other traditional risk factors. In the below-30 age group, coronary artery disease mortality among Indians is three-fold higher than in the whites in United Kingdom and ten-fold higher than the Chinese in Singapore. High levels of homocysteine have been widely linked to the early onset of heart diseases in other populations, although a definite proof among Indians is lacking, which needs to be investigated by way of screening for factors responsible for high homocysteine levels. OBJECTIVE: To screen for genetic factors responsible for hyperhomocysteinemia and the risk for premature coronary artery disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 100 individuals with proven premature coronary artery disease and 200 age-and-sex matched controls were screened for polymorphisms in Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) (C677T) Methionine synthase (MS) genes (A2756G, C2758G), and the B12 and Folate levels were estimated. RESULTS: Results from the mutational analysis revealed that in the study group, seven individuals had a polymorphism for the C677T allele in the MTHFR gene (one homozygous and six heterozygous) (Fischer's Exact test P > 0.046) (OR: 0.2711 95% CI 0.0774 to 0.9491). Six were heterozygous for the A2756G polymorphism in the MS gene (Fischer's Exact test P > 0.0012). None showed a polymorphism at the C2758G allele in the MS gene. Four controls showed heterozygosity for the C677T polymorphism and none for the MS gene. The B12 and Folate levels were significantly lower in the study group as compared to the controls. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to know which factors determine the total homocysteine concentrations. In the general population, the most important modifiable determinants of tHcy are folate intake and coffee consumption. Smoking and alcohol consumption are also associated with the total homocysteine concentrations, but more research is necessary to elucidate whether these relations are not originating from residual confounding due to other lifestyle factors.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma and their association with plasma levels of resistin and the metabolic syndrome in a South Indian population.

Studies on the association of the Pro12Ala and C1431T polymorphisms of PPAR? with diabetes and obesity have revealed extensive population-dependent variations. However, association of these polymorphisms with the metabolic syndrome and its individual components has not been well investigated in the Indian population. The Indian population harbours the maximum number of diabetics in the world who are thus more susceptible to metabolic disorders. We screened a South Indian population (N=699) for a possible association of these polymorphisms with the metabolic syndrome (MS) and type 2 diabetes. We also investigated the correlation of these two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with plasma resistin levels. The C1431T SNP was associated with higher levels of plasma resistin (P=0.017). Furthermore, C1431T was associated with resistin in different tertiles. Prevalence of the 'Pro-C' haplotype decreased with increasing tertiles of resistin (84.1% to 75.4%, P=0.037). Plasma resistin levels were not found to be associated with MS and type 2 diabetes. These results point to a likely association of plasma resistin levels with PPAR? polymorphisms in the Indian population.

Treatment and outcomes of acute coronary syndromes in India (CREATE): a prospective analysis of registry data.

BACKGROUND: India has the highest burden of acute coronary syndromes in the world, yet little is known about the treatments and outcomes of these diseases. We aimed to document the characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of patients with acute coronary syndromes who were admitted to hospitals in India. METHODS: We did a prospective registry study in 89 centres from 10 regions and 50 cities in India. Eligible patients had suspected acute myocardial infarction with definite electrocardiograph changes (whether elevated ST [STEMI] or non-STEMI or unstable angina), or had suspected myocardial infarction without ECG changes but with prior evidence of ischaemic heart disease. We recorded a range of clinical outcomes, and all-cause mortality at 30 days. FINDINGS: We enrolled 20,937 patients. Of the 20,468 patients who were given a definite diagnosis, 12,405 (60.6%) had STEMI. The mean age of these patients was 57.5 (SD 12.1) years; patients with STEMI were younger (56.3 [12.1] years) than were those with non-STEMI or unstable angina (59.3 [11.8] years). Most patients were from lower middle 10,737 (52.5%) and poor 3999 (19.6%) social classes. The median time from symptoms to hospital was 360 (IQR 123-1317) min, with 50 (25-68) min from hospital to thrombolysis. 6226 (30.4%) patients had diabetes; 7720 (37.7%) had hypertension; and 8242 (40.2%) were smokers. Treatments for STEMI differed from those for non-STEMI or unstable angina. More patients with STEMI than with non-STEMI were given anti-platelet drugs (98.2%vs 97.4%); angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) (60.5%vs 51.2%); and percutaneous coronary interventions (8.0%vs 6.7%, p<0.0001 for all comparisons). Thrombolytics (96.3% streptokinase) were used for 58.5% of patients with STEMI. Conversely, fewer patients with STEMI than those with non-STEMI or unstable angina were given beta blockers (57.5%vs 61.9%); lipid-lowering drugs (50.8%vs 53.9%); and coronary bypass graft surgery (1.9%vs 4.4%, p<0.0001 for all comparisons). The 30-day outcomes for patients with STEMI were death (8.6%), reinfarction (2.3%), and stroke (0.7%). Outcomes for those with non-STEMI or unstable angina were better: death (3.7%), reinfarction (1.2%), and stroke (0.3%, p<0.0001 for all comparisons). Use of key treatments also differed by socioeconomic status: more rich patients than poor patients were given thrombolytics (60.6%vs 52.3%), beta blockers (58.8%vs 49.6%), lipid-lowering drugs (61.2%vs 36.0%), ACE inhibitors or ARB (63.2%vs 54.1%), percutaneous coronary intervention (15.3%vs 2.0%), and coronary artery bypass graft surgery (7.5%vs 0.7%, p<0.0001 for all comparisons). Mortality was higher for poor patients than for rich patients (8.2%vs 5.5%, p<0.0001). Adjustment for treatments (but not risk factors and baseline characteristics) eliminated this difference in mortality. INTERPRETATION: Patients in India who have acute coronary syndromes have a higher rate of STEMI than do patients in developed countries. Since most of these patients were poor, less likely to get evidence-based treatments, and had greater 30-day mortality, reduction of delays in access to hospital and provision of affordable treatments could reduce morbidity and mortality.

Premature coronary artery disease: role of free radical nitric oxide.

AIMS/OBJECTIVES: Over the last several decades, it has become amply evident that oxidative stress plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of coronary artery atherosclerosis and its complications. Relatively recent studies have demonstrated an association between increased oxidative stress and coronary artery disease. We therefore undertook this study to see the effect of free radical nitric oxide in patients with premature cardiovascular disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study included 50 individuals with premature coronary artery disease aged below 45 years, and 50 age- and sex-matched normal individuals for comparison. Free radical nitric oxide was estimated using the Griess reagent as previously described. Mean plasma nitric oxide was found to be high in the patient group as compared to the control group, which was found to be statistically significant at p > 0.0001. CONCLUSION: Increased NO production was present in the plasma of patients with premature coronary artery disease individuals as compared to normal controls. Since NO seems to have a role in tissue damage, high concentrations of NO could have probably given rise to the said clinical manifestations. Further studies are needed in this context as to whether the changed lifestyles in the young individuals or the type of occupation is leading to the oxidative stress and thereby to the disease.

First report of no-react bovine internal mammary artery performance and patency.

BACKGROUND: No-React treatment is known to render tissues resistant to calcific degeneration and to reduce early inflammatory response. No-React bovine internal mammary artery (NR-IMA) is available for restricted use in Europe. In this first study, our aim was to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate the clinical performance and patency rates of this conduit. METHODS: Seven patients received 8 grafts with NR-IMA. Approval from the Medical Devices Agency of the United Kingdom was obtained for use of this material. One patient needed salvage coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Graft patency was investigated with cardiac MRI. One patient was excluded from the MRI study because of the presence of intracerebral metal clips. The mean follow-up period was 2.5 years with a range of 1 to 4.5 years. RESULTS: There was no mortality in this group. After treatment 6 patients were asymptomatic, and 1 patient had class II anginal symptoms. Four (57%) of the 7 NR-IMA grafts remained patent. The longest patency was 4.5 years in a patient who underwent salvage CABG. Other associated grafts in this cohort of patients were 5 left internal mammary arteries (all patent), 1 radial artery graft (patent), and 7 saphenous vein grafts (4 [57%] of 7 patent). There were no occluded NR-IMA grafts in a patient with patent vein grafts. CONCLUSION: We concluded that at 2.5 year follow-up, NR-IMA had a patency rate of 57% (4 of 7 cases). This rate matched the vein graft patency rate in this cohort of patients. With the longest patency of 4.5 years, use of NR-IMA seems to hold promise for the future.