Using the radial artery rather than the saphenous vein when performing a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) improves cardiovascular outcomes including mortality, a meta-analysis shows. 

Individual data for 1036 patients (mean age 67, 70% male) in five randomised controlled trials, including the Australian RAPCO trial, were pooled for the study, the authors report in JAMA. 

Follow-up of at least 10 years was available for 91% of the participants and this showed a 27% lower rate of a composite outcome of death, myocardial infarction (MI) or revascularisation in those who had CABG with a radial artery graft. 

In the radial artery arm, 41 events occurred per 1000 patient-years of follow-up while in the saphenous vein arm, the rate was 47/1000 patient-years.