Search

Aim: To analyse early recognition of the distal cervical caries of mandibular second molar caused by impacted mandibular third molar, to correlate oral health and caries status and to find out the average age groups and gender affected by impacted third molar Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 300 participants was conducted over a 15-month period at Rehmat Memorial Hospital, Abbottabad. 300 participants having impacted third molar having distal cervical caries in mandibular second molar were analyzed clinically and radiographically. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 23.0 Results: the demographic data of 300 patients with impacted mandibular third molars were analyzed. 64% were male and 36% female that have extractions due to impaction. Caries caused in more than half of participants by mesioangular impaction, which was 52%, 3% due to distoangular, 26% due to distal, and 18% due to horizontal impaction. In 63.25% of cases, teeth were lost due to caries, periodontitis caused 20.25% of tooth loss, pericoronitis 7.75%, orthodontics 3.75%, prosthodontics 1.2%, trauma 1%, and other factors were 2.5%. study reveals that 30.5 % of the extractions were done from 21 and 30 years and 23 %of extractions were performed. 40% of those who took part in the study did not brush their teeth. Socioeconomic status also has a great impact on tooth extractions. Conclusion: After conducting this study, it was concluded that there was a relationship between the prevalence of distal cervical caries in mandibular second molars and the placement of neighbouring impacted mandibular third molars. As a result, the extraction of mandibular third molars should be done to avoid cavities and premature tooth loss in the neighboring molar. Key words: Third molar impaction, distoangular, distal cervical caries, extraction, 2nd molar caries

Background Elderly patients with sinus-node disease, have been reported to have better clinical outcomes with dual-chamber pacing compared with single chamber pacing. In contrast, randomized studies have shown no clinical benefit of dual-chamber pacing compared to single-chamber pacing in the elderly with high grade AV block., For truly elderly patients (>80 years), the optimal choice of pacing mode remains uncertain. In this real-world observational study, we analysed the clinical outcomes in a cohort of very elderly patients. Methods We analysed retrospective data of all new pacemaker implantations for sinus node disease or high-grade atrioventricular block in patients ≥80 years a district general hospital in south-east England, UK over a 7-year period. Patients with an existing diagnosis of stroke, congestive cardiac failure and/or atrial fibrillation (AF) were excluded from the study. Patients were categorised into two analysis cohorts based on pacing mode, i.e dual chamber (DDD) pacing versus single chamber (VVI) pacing. Clinical outcome data including all-cause mortality, new onset AF and CCF were recorded. Results A total of 208 patients were included in the study, of which 117 received (DDD) pacing vs 91 who underwent VVI pacing. The mean age was 85.8 years (84.63 DDD, 87.3 VVI, p=0.01). Single chamber pacing was associated with greater all-cause mortality (51.7% vs 31.5%, p=0.01). 23.1% of patients who underwent DDD pacing developed AF, vs 21.9% who underwent VVI pacing (p=0.85). Congestive cardiac failure was observed in 6.48% of patients who received DDD pacing vs 8.14% of patients who received VVI pacing, (p=0.66). Conclusions In this real-world observational study of very elderly patients with sinus node disease and/or high-grade AV block, single chamber pacing was associated with a greater all-cause mortality. However, the pacing mode did not affect the incidence of atrial fibrillation and congestive cardiac failure. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly challenged medical training throughout the United States (US), particularly for medical students who are beginning their clerkship rotations in the hospital. In addition to potentially compromising the quality of clinical rotations, this pandemic has revealed the detrimental effects of personal protective equipment (PPE) shortage and highlighted the importance of maximizing their use. This paper aims to serve as a guide for medical students entering their clerkship rotations in order to ensure patient and medical student safety, and maximize PPE use. Different PPE protocols for different clinical settings, including patient, consultation, and operating rooms, will be introduced. Furthermore, in an effort to attenuate the global shortage, the various techniques that can be used to repurpose N95 respirators, as well as the efficacy of masks made from other materials, will be highlighted.

Funding Acknowledgements Nil We present the case of a 53 year old lady who presented to the cardiology services with palpitations. She denied any symptoms of syncope or chest pain but described frequent short episodes of palpitations. Her background medical history at this point included a pituitary macroadenoma with panhypopituitarism requiring transphenoidal hypophysectomy, a follicular adenoma with left thyroid lobectomy and peripheral neuropathy. An echocardiogram was arranged and this showed a large left atrial mobile myxoma with good LV function and no other structural abnormalities. Her ECG showed sinus rhythm with no ischaemic changes and normal electrical intervals. She was admitted and transferred to a tertiary centre where the myxoma was successfuly excised. Her palpitations settled post procedure and holter monitoring didn"t pick up any malignant dysrrhythmias. She was referred to a genetics centre for investigation for Carneys complex which can predispose patient to endocrine and nonendrocrine tumours including pituitary, thyroid and as in our case a cardiac myxoma. This was confirmed on genetic testing and as her mother was found to also have a cardiac myxoma it raised the suspicion of an inherited mutation. Follow-up echo at 2 years post-op showed no recurrence of atria myxoma and patient was stable from a cardiovascular perspective.

A simple precise and rapid Reverse Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatographic method has been developed for quantitative determination of antineoplastic drug bexarotene and its capsule formulation. In this method Synchronis (C18, 25cm×4.6mm id , 5μ) column with mobile phase consisting of buffer (25mM ammonium acetate w/v solution adjusted to pH 4.0 with diluted acetic acid) and acetonitrile in the ratio of (20: 80 v/v) in an isocratic mode was used. The detection was carried out at 262 nm and 20.0 μL injection volume was selected, with the flow rate of 1.0 mL/min being used. The linearity range of bexarotene shows concentration between 5-200 μg/mL. Retention time of bexarotene was found to be 12.58 minutes. Mobile phase itself was used as a diluent. The method was validated as per ICH guidelines and is simple, fast, accurate, precise and can be applied for routine quality control analysis of bexarotene in its formulation.

Elwady Elgedid considered as a promising Governorate in the field of sustainable agricultural development. This research aims to identify the current situation of agricultural plant production, crop composition, as well as crop yield, Agricultural Animal Production and the change in the number of cattle. The future prospects of agricultural production are also estimated. Proposals and recommendations on how to exploit the available optimum utilization of agricultural resources are also stated. The results showed that the average crop area, the value of agricultural production, the agricultural income and agricultural employment of Elwady Elgedid Governorate represents about 1.3%, 0.4%, 0.05%, 0.12% 0.12%, of the total crop area, agricultural production value, the value of production inputs, agricultural income value, the number of agricultural workers of the Republic. Results also showed that wheat crop area and ​​production represents about 1.9% 1.5% of the area and production of wheat crop in the Republic. The area and production of faba bean crop represents about 4.9% to 4.3% of the area and ​​production of faba bean crop in the Republic. The area and production of the winter tomato crop represents about 1.4% 1.8% of the area and production of the winter tomato crop in the Republic. While the area and production of alfalfa represents about 65.8%, 65.8% of the area and the production of alfalfa in the Republic as an average of the period, while the area and the production of sesame crop represents about 0.49%, 0.36% of the area and production of sesame crop in the Republic as an average of the period. The area and production of maize represent around 0.34%, 0.07% of the area and production of maize crop in the Republic as an average of the period. For Animal Production, numbers of cattle buffalo, sheep, goats, camels, representing about 2.6%, 1.3%, 0.97%, respectively of the total number in the Republic. By studying the expectation of future agricultural production in Elwady Elgedid Governorate years 2015, 2016 and 2017 showed the following: The crop area, agricultural production, agricultural production inputs, agricultural income and agricultural workers will increase with an increase estimated at 1.05%, 3.1%, 3.3%, 3.5%, 0.07% respectively out of 2014, and the area of wheat, bean and alfalfa, will increase by 2.1%, 70.8%, 0.09% Respectively from 2014, while summer sesame area will fall by 55.2% from 2014. The expectation for the future productivity of bean, and winter tomatoes will rise by 5.7%, 14.9% respectively from 2014, while the maize, summer sesame and alfalfa production will drop by 0.3%, 5.9%, and 5.2% from 2014. Forecasting the future of summer bean production will rise by 44.5% from 2014, while summer sesame, tomato and alfalfa production will fall by 70.13%, 1.4%, 5.3 respectively out of 2014.While forecasting the future number of, sheep, goats will rise by 0.55%, 0.06% respectively while the number of cows, buffalo, and camels will go down by 1.9%, 9.1%,1.3% from 2014. The research recommends dissemination crops appropriate to soil conditions and the environment in all varieties preservation area, and creates herd's nucleus for each of goats, cows and sheep, in the form of model farms.

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an adjunctive neurophysiological treatment for those patients who have pharmacoresistant or surgically resistant partial onset epilepsy. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of high and low stimulation paradigms on a responder rate of ≥50 and ≥75 % reduction in seizure frequency and associated adverse effects in adults and children. A literature search was performed using Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane library for studies using vagus nerve stimulation published from January 1980 until July 2014 for medically or surgically resistant partial onset seizures, in children and adults. No restrictions on languages were imposed. Four authors reviewed and selected studies for inclusion and exclusion. The search identified five randomized control trials that fit with our inclusion criteria. The following outcomes were evaluated: 50 % or greater reduction in total seizure frequency, 75 % or greater reduction in total seizure frequency, and adverse effects. Four randomized controlled trials were analyzed in this meta-analysis. Results indicate high stimulation is more effective in adult patients who experienced ≥50 and ≥75 % reduction in seizure frequency with a significant difference within both high and low stimulation groups. In children, there was no significant difference between the two groups and patients with ≥50 % reduction in seizures. Adverse effects such as hoarseness and dyspnea were more common in the high stimulation group where the remaining side effects were not statistically different among both groups. High stimulation is more effective than low stimulation in producing a greater reduction in seizure frequency in patients with medically and surgically resistant epilepsy.

Netherton syndrome (NS) is a serious inherited skin disorder caused by mutations in the gene SPINK5 (serine protease inhibitor Kazal type 5) which encodes for a serine protease inhibitor LEKTI (lymphoepithelial Kazal type-related inhibitor). Patients with NS have defective keratinization, hair shaft defects, recurrent infections, atopy and a predisposition to skin malignancies. Historically, one in ten infants has died before their first birthday. Currently there are no proven treatments to cure this condition. A SIN-lentiviral vector encoding the codon optimized SPINK5 gene under the control of a 572bp element derived from the human involucrin promoter (INVO) can confer compartment specific LEKTI expression in NS keratinocytes with restoration of normal skin architecture. Here we detail a study protocol for a phase I trial for feasibility and safety evaluations of autologous epidermal sheets generated from ex-vivo gene corrected keratinocyte stem cells, which will be grafted onto patients with mutation proven NS.

Bamboo sawdust is a natural resource and an inexpensive material was used as an adsorbent for removal of zinc (II) ions from aqueous solutions. The zinc (II) ions sorption study has been carried out using batch wise where the influence of physicochemical key parameters such as the solution pH, the contact time, the initial metal concentration, and the adsorbent dosage were considered. Morphological changes observed in scanning electron micrographs of natural and zinc (II) loaded bamboo sawdust confirmed the phenomenon of sorption. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of bamboo sawdust before and after sorption confirmed the zinc (II) ions and bamboo sawdust interactions responsible for sorption. Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin adsorption isotherm were used to analyze the sorption of zinc (II) ions at different temperatures. The thermodynamic parameters like free energy, enthalpy, and entropy changes for the sorption of zinc (II) ions have also been computed and discussed. The heat of sorption [...

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor is a key pro-inflammatory mediator. A 5-CATT repeat functional polymorphism within the promoter of the gene was previously associated with the lowest promoter activity. It was hypothesised that patients exhibiting a 5-CATT allele would have a less aggressive inflammatory response with an associated less severe clinical phenotype in sarcoidosis. Irish Caucasian sarcoidosis patients (n = 173) followed up for 1–39 yrs and a control group (n = 166) were genotyped for the CATT repeat polymorphism. Disease severity at the time of diagnosis and at the time of elaboration of the present study was assessed by the presence of thoracic and extrathoracic symptoms, erythema nodosum, radiographic interstitial changes (chest radiograph score equal to stage II or greater, or high-resolution computed tomography confirmed), pulmonary function tests, steroid use, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein and angiotensin-converting enzyme levels. In the Irish population studied, no evidence was found of a significant association between either sarcoidosis susceptibility and disease severity and the 5-CATT repeat functional polymorphism in the macrophage migration inhibitory gene. The present study found no significant association between the 5-CATT repeat macrophage migration inhibitory factor gene polymorphism and sarcoidosis, and did not support the overriding role for macrophage migration inhibitory factor in driving sarcoidosis pathogenesis.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is an immunologic regulator that is expressed in inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. We investigated MIF's role in asthma using genetic approaches in a mouse model and in a cohort of asthma patients. Mice genetically deficient in MIF that were primed and aerosol-challenged with ovalbumin showed less pulmonary inflammation and lower airway hyperresponsiveness than genetically matched, wild-type controls. MIF deficiency also resulted in lower titers of specific IgE, IgG 1 , and IgG 2a , and decreased pulmonary, T H 2 cytokine levels. IL-5 concentrations were lower and corresponded to decreased eosinophil numbers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. T cell studies also showed a lower level of antigen-specific responses in MIF-KO versus wild-type mice. In an analysis of 151 white patients with mild, moderate, or severe asthma (Global Initiative for Asthma criteria), a significant association was found between mild asthma and the low-expression, 5-CATT MIF allele. Pharmacologic inhibition of MIF may be beneficial and could be guided by the MIF genotype of affected individuals.

Background: Normative Doppler values and determinants for gender difference of right ventricular diastolic function in healthy subjects have not been fully elucidated. The purpose of this study is to verify the difference of right ventricular diastolic function between men and women at each age. Method: One hundred sixty nine male and 221 female in healthy subject, aged 20 to 90, were examined by both tricuspid inflow velocity and tricuspid annulus velocity by tissue Doppler imaging. All subjects were divided into 7 groups as 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s depend on their age. Results: The tricuspid E velocity was significantly decreased with age (p,0.0001). The tricuspid A velocity was significantly increased with age (p,0.0001). But both E and A velocity were no differences significantly in all generation between men and women (Table). Ratio of tricuspid E and A velocity (E/A) was significantly decreased with age. But no differences were observed in ratio of E/A in all generation between men and women. (20s: 2.0+0.6 vs 2.3+0.6, 30s: 1.9+0.5 vs 2.1+0.5, 40s: 1.6+0.4 vs 1.9+0.5, 50s: 1.3+0.3 vs 1.5+0.4, 60s: 1.2+0.2 vs 1.2+0.3, 70s: 1.1+0.3 vs 1.1+0.3, 80s: 1.2+0.3 vs 1.2+0.3, total: 1.4+0.5 vs 1.5+0.6). Early diastole velocity of tricuspid annulus (Ea) by tissue Doppler method was significantly decreased with age. But Ea was no differences significantly in all generation between men and women (Table). Conclusion: Our results provide the normative Doppler values of right ventricular diastolic function for age decades. There was no difference significantly of right ventricular diastolic function between men and women.

132 patients with advanced recurrent breast cancer were treated with four courses of mitozantrone 14 mg/m2 intravenously every 3 weeks (9 weeks). Patients showing disease stabilisation or objective response were randomised to stop chemotherapy or to continue until disease progression. At that stage 27% showed partial responses, 3% complete responses, and 10% disease stabilisation. 22 patients were randomised to continue chemotherapy and 21 to stop. There was no difference in time to disease progression, response duration, or survival between the two groups. Toxicity was mild during the first four courses of therapy. Thus, short courses of single-agent chemotherapy can produce similar therapeutic results to long-term chemotherapy, which has major implications for cost, resource allocation, and toxicity of therapy. Stopping chemotherapy early in responders did not cause rapid relapse. Since drug resistance apparently develops early during therapy, new approaches to modify resistance should be more useful than continuous chemotherapy.

The conventional boost converter is widely used for many different applications in spite of its limitations regarding dynamic performance, due to its right-half-plane zeros, and discontinuous output current. An alternative boost converter based on a capacitive energy transfer has been proposed in the past to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks, being the need of a floating driver its major disadvantage. This paper introduces a new energy transfer principle allowing both to have continuous current and to eliminate the RHP zero without the need of a floating driver. It also compares the new converter with the capacitive energy transfer counter-part and presents B/B stability test results.

This study limr at developing methods for minimizing driver's fatigue md its relationship with the driver's physiological S~LNS and music treatment. This rNdy hypothesized that music (in this case, an Indonesian wooden music called kolintang music) hdps to minimize the driver's fatigue at whccl. A laboraroty-based driving simulamr was crrablirhed in order to explore the relationship bctwcen the driver's physiological stater md the effectiveness of music in minimizing fatigue. Subjects (consisted of 5 males and 4 females driven aged between 20-30 yean old) were asked CO drive continuously for 2 hourr without music and anathec 2 hours with music (kolintang music) trearmcnt. EEG, EMG and BVP dam were taken for both conditions. Sevenl other dao were also obtin from the subject induding drivers' body movements and C~IOIS done by subjects while driving under a simulated Task. Findingr showed that there was no significant difference in the lcvd of fatigue before and afnr the music was innoduced to the driven. Nevertheless, the study has found that the methods and measurements used in uploring the relationship of those aspccts measured were suitable to be used as a criteria in developing a so-cdcd smart sensor for reducing the driver's f+w.

Increasing the uptake of flu vaccination in an area with a large Bangladeshi population required a tailored approach to getting the message across. Every opportunity to communicate the issues was taken by the staff of the Healthy Living Centre, including using the topic as subject matter in a class for those improving their spoken English.

To obtain meaningful results in any clinical trial, patients need to be allocated to treatments in such a way that valid analysis can be carried out. Balancing treatment groups before analysis is carried out is more desirable than trying to compensate for incomparability at a later date. Therefore, the development of allocation procedures to produce comparable groups in which prognostic factors are equally represented is important. Minimization, a deterministic allocation method, aims to ensure balance on such factors, particularly in small trials when traditional randomization methods are likely to fail. However, views on the use of conventional analysis following minimization are divided. The use of minimization in two randomised crossover trials is described where, in addition to the comparisons between randomised treatments, it was desired to have balance between groups based on differential trial procedures. Theoretical concerns about the use of minimization are not applicable in this setting, and therefore minimization is shown to be a useful technique for obtaining balance.

IMIPPP ist ein internationaler online-Kurs fur europaische Medizinstudenten/ innen und Doktoren/innnen. Schmerzdiagnostik und -therapie wird mittels Internet uber synchrone und asynchrome Tools in englischer Sprache problemorientiert angeboten. Synchrones Expert-Turoring durch Facharzte aus der Klinik sowie Non-Expert Tutoring durch online-Studierende via Chat. Am Pilotprojekt Juni/Julo 1999 nahmen 20 Mediziner/innen aus 9 Landern in vier Lerngruppen teil. Der Schwerpunkt liegt auf dem kollaborativen synchronen Online — Lernen und Lehren mittels realer, anomysierter Patientenfalle aus der Universitatsklinik. Entwicklungsstand: Bei dem Projekt Imippp handelt es sich um ein funktionierendes Piltoprojekt. Evaluation: Das Projekt wurde dreizeitig mittels online-Fragbogen sowie qualitativer Interviews (Benutzerprofile) evaluiert. Teilnahmevoraussetzungen: grundlegende Medizinkenntnisse gute Englischkenntnisse (besonders der Schriftform) grundlegende EDV-Kenntnisse (Betriebssystem, Textverarbeitung) Zugang zum Internet IBM-kompatiblen PC (Prozessortyp: 486 oder hoher) Microsoft WINDOWS 95. Adresse: http://193.175.72.12/index.html

Toxicological studies have reported the presence of alcohol in about a third of suicides. Some have suggested that the presence of alcohol might predispose suicidal people to use particular methods, e.g., guns, although, in general, this does not appear to be the case. More recently, comprehensive toxicological studies have provided data on the detection of all intoxicating abusable substances (IAS) among suicides. The purpose of this report is to examine the presence of two samples of suicides to see if any relationships between presence of IAS at post mortem toxicology and any specific suicide method. The samples included 179 suicides from San Diego, California (1981-1982), and 225 suicides from Mobile, Alabama (1990-1995) for which comprehensive toxicological examination had been conducted. Methods were grouped into more immediately fatal (MIF) and less immediately fatal (LIF) categories. The most common method in each category (guns and overdoses respectively) were examined separately as well. The same proportions of men (51%) and women (65%) were positive for any IAS in both locations. There were no significant differences in the proportions of suicides that were positive for IAS between the sample totals or by gender or age groups (under age 30 and age 30 and over) for any of the methods or categories examined. Significantly more of the Mobile suicides were by MIF methods than in San Diego for both genders, almost totally attributable to the use of guns. The use of guns for suicide in Mobile (and the state of Alabama) was also significantly higher than the rest of the U.S. in the early 1990's. Nonetheless, the suicide rates for men and women in Mobile (and Alabama) were no higher than for the overall U.S. rates. We conclude that potentially suicidal people should be advised to avoid intoxicating abusable substances of any kind. We also suggest that physicians should avoid prescribing such substances to depressed or suicidal patients.

Introduction Studies in heart failure patients of Afro-Caribbean (black) origin reveal a high prevalence (up to 30%) of myocardial trabeculations and raise the potential diagnosis of left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC). It is unclear whether the myocardial morphology is representative of LVNC or whether it represents an ethnicity related epiphenomenon to increased cardiac preload. Pregnancy is associated with a marked increase in physiological cardiac preload. This study sought to investigate the impact of increased cardiac preload on left ventricular morphology in previously healthy black and Caucasian pregnant women. Method Between 2008 and 2010, 106 consecutive normotensive and previously healthy pregnant females (90% Caucasian) underwent cardiac echocardiography in the third trimester. Echocardiograms were analysed for trabeculations defined as localised protrusions of the ventricular wall ≥3 mm in thickness associated with intertrabecuar recesses filled with blood from the left ventricular cavity as assessed by colour Doppler. The results were compared with 80 healthy non-pregnant females (51% Caucasian) of similar age. Results There was no difference in mean age (29±6 years vs 32±6 years; p: 0.278) or blood pressure (111±16 mm Hg vs 114±15 mm Hg; p 0.664) between pregnant black females and pregnant Caucasian females. Pregnant black females demonstrated a higher prevalence of increased left ventricular trabeculation compared with pregnant Caucasian females (n=5; 45.5% vs n=12; 12.6%; p 0.014). Pregnant black females were three times more likely to have increased left ventricular trabeculation compared with pregnant Caucasian females. In contrast none of the non-pregnant females of either ethnicity exhibited any evidence of increased left ventricular trabeculaton. None of the black or Caucasian pregnant females with increased left ventricular trabeculation showed objective features of left ventricular systolic or diastolic dysfunction. The mean EF by Simpsons method was 56.8±12% vs 58±9.8%; p=0.792. The E/A ratio was 1.47±0.33 vs 1.30±0.44; p: 0.218 and isovolumic relaxation time was 81.2±1.89 ms vs 80.6±15.46 ms; p: 0.6. Conclusions Black pregnant females exhibited a significantly higher frequency of increased left ventricular trabeculation compared with pregnant Caucasian females with similar blood pressure in the absence objective markers of abnormal systolic or diastolic function. Based on the results of this study, it is highly likely that increased cardiac preload in heart failure is associated with an ethnically mediated myocardial response comprising of an increased number of myocardial trabeculations in black individuals and should be regarded as an epiphenomenon rather than LVNCC outside the context of familial heart failure. The hypothesis requires prosposective longitudinal evaluation.

Introduction Studies suggest there is an increased prevalence of aortic root dilation highly trained competitive athletes. It is unclear whether this is a benign feature of ‘athlete9s heart9 or an indication of a pathological condition. However, distinguishing between the two may be important in the prevention of exercise related sudden cardiac death. This study sought to investigate the prevalence of aortic root dilation in British competitive athletes. Methods Between 2004 and 2012, 1165 athletes (63% male, 81% Caucasian, mean age 20.9±6.0 years, range 14–35 years) underwent echocardiography. Aortic root dimensions, measured at sinus of valsalva level, were analysed to ESC guidelines and were compared to current Bathesda recommendations of ≥40 mm for both male and female athletes. Results were compared to 415 healthy controls (57% male, 60% Caucasian, mean age 22.1±6.4 years, range 14–35 years) and 50 patients with Marfan syndrome (54% male, 88% Caucasian, mean age 35.6±12.6 years, range 18–68 years). Results Male athletes and controls demonstrated a similar prevalence of aortic root dimension (27.9±4.2 mm, range: 17–52 mm vs 27.9±4.0 mm, range: 19 ¨C 38 mm; p=1.000). However, seven male athletes (1.0%) had an aortic root ≥40 mm, compared to 0% male controls (p 0.2053). Male Marfan patients demonstrated a higher prevalence of aortic root dilation than male athletes (40.9 mm±4.6 mm; p Female athletes demonstrated a similar prevalence of aortic root dimension to female controls (26.1±3.3 mm vs 25.8±3.6; p 03207). One female athlete (0.2%) had an aortic root ≥ 40 mm compared to 0% female controls (p=1.000). Female Marfan patients had a higher prevalence of aortic root dilation than female athletes (36.8±4.7 mm vs 26.1±3.3 mm; p On longitudinal follow up of 5 years, none of the athletes with aortic dilation alone required surgical intervention. Conclusions Athletes exhibited a similar prevalence of aortic root dilation to healthy controls and there is no statistically significant evidence to suggest aortic root dilation is a feature of ‘athlete9s heart9. However, Marfan9s patients were found to have a far greater proportion of pathologically wide aortic of ≥40 mm. The study would benefit from further longitudinal evaluation.