Iain Loftus

Whilst employed as a Consultant Vascular Surgeon, I am also actively involved in vascular research, teaching and training.

My interest in vascular biology began more than 10 years ago. My major area of research is the investigation of factors which lead to atherosclerotic plaque instability. Unstable plaques are responsible for most of the clinical sequelae of atherosclerosis. I have a particular interest in the role of proteolytic enzymes in carotid plaque morphology. In unstable plaques, we have identified high levels of certain members of the ‘matrix metalloproteinase’ or ‘MMP’ family of enzymes, in tandem with other markers of inflammation, which are almost certainly integral to the breakdown of atherosclerotic plaques. Subsequently we have performed clinical trials of pharmacological agents with anti-MMP properties, in patients with vascular disease, demonstrating reduced MMP levels in treated patients. These studies have been published in the journals ‘Circulation’ and ‘Stroke’.

Regarding training, I was a member of the Steering Group on SHO Workforce Planning, part of the National Health Service ‘Changing Workforce Programme’. I was also Membership and Organisational Secretary of the Rouleaux Club (Vascular surgical trainees of Great Britain) from 2001 to 2003, a Committee Member of the Association of Surgeons in Training for 3 years and a member of the South Trent Regional Surgical Training Committee.

I have had involvement in the organisation, delivery and assessment of undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, and the teaching of undergraduates in Biochemistry and Pharmacology. I am an instructor on the ‘Advanced Trauma Life Support’ and the ‘Care of the Critically Ill Surgical Patient’ Courses.

Loftus IM, Naylor AR, Goodall S, Crowther M, Jones L, Bell PRF, Thompson MM. Increased MMP-9 Activity in Unstable Carotid Plaques- A Potential Role in Acute Plaque Disruption Stroke 2000; 31: 40-47.

McCarthy MJ, Loftus IM, Thompson MM, Jones L, London NJM, Bell PRF, Naylor AR, Brindle NPJ.Angiogenesis and the atherosclerotic carotid plaque: an association between symptomatology and plaque morphology.Journal of Vascular Surgery 1999; 30: 261-8.

Treharne GD, Boyle JR, Goodall S, Loftus IM, Bell PRF, Thompson MM. Marimastat inhibits elastin degradation and matrix metalloproteinase 2 activity in a model of aneurysmal disease. British Journal of Surgery 1999; 86: 1053

Peterson M, Porter K, Loftus IM, Thompson MM, London N. Marimastat inhibits neointimal thickening in a model of human arterial intimal hyperplasia.European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery 2000; 19: 461-467.

Sensier YJ, Thrush AJ, Loftus IM, Evans DH, London NJM. A comparison of colour duplex ultrasonography, papaverine testing and common femoral doppler waveform analysis for assessment of the aortoiliac arteries.European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery 2000; 20: 29-35

Loftus IM. Preoperative staging of rectal cancer allows selection of patients for preoperative radiotherapy. British Journal of Surgery 2001; 87: 173

Axisa BM, Loftus IM, Fishwick G, Spyt T, Bell PRF.Endovascular repair of an innominate artery false aneurysm following blunt trauma Journal of Endovascular Surgery 2000; 7(3): 245-50

Loftus IM, Naylor AR, Bell PRF, Thompson MM. Plasma MMP-9: a marker of plaque instability.European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery 2001; 21: 17-21

Loftus IM.A Novel Escape Route for Gallstones Update 20-06-2001; 870.

Turney B, Kent SJS, Loftus IM. Amputation- the end of the road? Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh 2001; 46: 271-273.

Loftus IM, Naylor AR, Bell PRF, Thompson MM. MMPs and atherosclerotic plaque instability (Review Article).British Journal of Surgery 2002; 89: 680-694.

Loftus IM, Thompson MM.The Role of MMPs in Vascular Disease (Review Article) Vascular Medicine 2002; 7: 117-133.

Axisa B, Loftus IM, Naylor AR, Goodall S, Jones L, Bell PRF and Thompson MM. A prospective randomised double blinded trial investigating the effect of doxycycline on matrix metalloproteinase expression within atherosclerotic carotid plaques. Stroke 2002,33:2858-64.

Evans J, Bhardwaj N, Loftus IM, Thompson MM. Management of intermittent claudication. British Journal of Surgery 2002: 89; 529-31.

Loftus IM, Thompson.The Abdominal Compartment Syndrome in Vascular Surgery (Review Article). European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery 2002: 25; 97-109.

Molloy K, Thompson MM, Fishwick G, Bell PRF, Loftus IM. Endovascular repair of a ruptured aneurysm under local anaesthetic. European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Extra 2003; 5: 3-4.

Loftus IM, Molloy KJ, Bell PRF and Naylor AR. Ruptured Infrarenal Mycotic Aortic Aneurysm (Saved by the Thoracic Coarctation) Journal of The Royal Society of Medicine 2003; 96: 291-292.

Thompson MM, Papavassiliou V, Anderton M, Loftus I, Turner D, Naylor R, London N,Bell P. The Physiological Effects of† Elevated Intra-Abdominal Pressure Following Aneurysm Repair.European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery 2003: 26; 293-298.

Loftus IM, Bell PRF. Acute Limb Ischaemia- Surgical Options. Endovascular Today, March 2003; 53-55.

Naylor R, Cuffe RL, Rothwell PM, Loftus IM, Bell PRF. A systematic review of outcome following synchronous carotid endarterectomy and coronary artery bypass: influence of surgical and patient variables. European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery 2003: 26; 230-141.

Loftus IM, Hayes PD, Bell PRF The role of subintimal angioplasty: A Review Article The Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery 2004; 45: 217-229.

KJ Molloy, MM Thompson, JL Jones, EC Schwalbe, PRF Bell, AR Naylor, IM Loftus  Comparison of Levels of Matrix Metalloproteinases, Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases, Interleukins and Tissue Necrosis Factor in Carotid Endarterectomy Specimens from Patients On — vs — Not On Statins Pre-operatively. American Journal of Cardiology 2004; 94:144-146.

KJ Molloy, MM Thompson, JL Jones, EC Schwalbe, PRF Bell, AR Naylor, IM Loftus Elevation in plasma mmp-9 following carotid endarterectomy is associated with particulate cerebral embolisation European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery 2004; 27: 409-413.

KJ Molloy, MM Thompson, JL Jones, EC Schwalbe, PRF Bell, AR Naylor, IM Loftus Unstable Carotid Plaques Exhibit Raised MMP-8 Activity Circulation 2004; 110: 337-343.

MJ Bown, MG Norwood, IM Loftus, P Spiers, RD Sayers. The SACU: effects on surgical workload and mortality. ANZ J Surg 2004; 74: 881-4.

IB Squire, J Evans, LL Ng, IM Loftus, MM Thompson.Plasma MMP-9 and MMP-2 following acute myocardial infarction in man: correlation with echocardiographic and neurohumoral parameters of left ventriculardysfunction.J Card Fail. 2004 Aug;10(4):328-33.