Rapid Assessment and Treatment In Decompensated Aortic Stenosis (ASTRID-AS study)- A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Acute decompensated aortic stenosis (ADAS) is common and associated with higher mortality, acute kidney injury (AKI) and longer hospital length of stay (LoS) compared with electively treated stable AS. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a dedicated pathway that reduces time to transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in ADAS, hypothesizing that LoS can be reduced without compromising patient safety. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using a prospective, open label, cluster design, patients from 5 referring centres were allocated to the ASessment and TReatment In Decompensated Aortic Stenosis (ASTRID-AS) pathway where the diagnosis, referral, investigations and treatment of ADAS were prioritised and expedited. 15 hospitals remained on the conventional pathway that followed the same process, albeit according to a waiting list. The primary efficacy endpoint was hospital LoS and the secondary safety endpoint, a composite of death or AKI at 30 days post-TAVI. 58 conventional patients and 25 ASTRID-AS patients were included in this study. Time to TAVI in the conventional vs. ASTRID-AS cohort was 22 (15-30) vs. 10 (6-12) days; P < 0.001, respectively. Length of hospital stay was 24 (18-33) vs. 13 (8-18) days; P < 0.001, respectively. 13.4 bed days were saved per patient using the ASTRID-AS pathway. Secondary safety endpoint occurred in 12 (20.7%) vs. 1 (4.0%) patients; P = 0.093, respectively. Procedural complications were similar between the two cohorts. CONCLUSION: A dedicated pathway for ADAS that shortens time to TAVI demonstrated reduced hospital LoS without compromising patient safety and a trend towards improving clinical outcomes.

Quadriparesis due to Gitelman's syndrome diagnosed with thiazide diuretic test response.

Gitelman's syndrome is characterized by hypocalciuria, severe hypomagnesemia, and prominent muscular involvements such as fatigue, weakness, cramps, and tetany. It is due to mutations in the thiazide sensitive NaCl co-transporter in the distal convoluted tubule. The administration of thiazide diuretics may induce a subnormal increase of urinary Cl(-) excretion in patients with Gitelman's syndrome, consistent with the hypothesis that less than normal Cl(-) is reabsorbed by the thiazide-inhibitable transporter in Gitelman's syndrome. Thus, we report a case of Gitelman's syndrome presenting with quadriparesis diagnosed by using thiazide clearance test.

Digital Gangrene an Unusual Presentation of Takayasu's Arteritis.

CONTEXT: Takayasu arteritis (TA) is a chronic inflammatory disease involving large vessels like aorta and its major branches. It presents to clinician with features of arm claudication, stroke, asymmetrical pulse, or asymmetrical blood pressure in both limbs. Digital gangrene may be occurred secondary to various systemic diseases like diabetes, thrombophilic states, vascular embolism, and medium and small vessel vasculitis or infections. Through evaluation to diagnose the exact etiology and timely intervention is needed to prevent progression of the gangrene which at the time can be life-threatening. Digital gangrene as an initial presentation in TA is very rare. In medical literature, there are only few case reports have been reported. CASE REPORT: We are reporting a case of a 26-year-old female patient presented with right little finger and index finger gangrene, ultimately diagnosed as TA and responded dramatically to treatment. CONCLUSION: Though rare, TA should be taken in the differential diagnosis for work up in a case of digital gangrene and it necessitates more studies in this field to uncover the exact pathophysiology for such presentation.