Screening for aortic coarctation by comparing blood pressure in the arms and legs is more convenient and reliable than examination of the femoral pulses

Abstract

References1 Rossi GP, Barisa M, Belfiore A, Desideri G, Ferri C, Letizia C, et al., for the PAPY study Investigators. The aldosterone-renin ratio based on the plasma renin activity and the direct renin assay for diagnosing aldosteroneproducing adenoma. J Hypertens 2010; 28:1892-1899. 2 Sealey JE, Blumenfeld J, Laragh JH. Prorenin cryoactivation as a possible cause of normal renin levels in patients with primary aldosteronism. J Hypertens 2005; 23:459-462. 3 Ferrari P, Shaw SG, Nicod J, Saner E, Nussberger J. Active renin versus plasma renin activity to define aldosterone-to-renin aldosteronism.

Incidental detection of late presenting co-arctation of the aorta on chest x-ray: the importance of rib notching

“…An anecdotally reported alternative to radio-femoral delay involves comparing upper and lower limb systolic blood pressure,11 seeking a differential of at least 20 mm Hg 9 12–16. Sensitivity and specificity for co-arctation of the aorta have not been calculated for this technique either, and its specificity is likely to be limited by the rarity of adult co-arctation of the aorta, especially with the comparatively high prevalence of peripheral arterial disease which can alter the ankle–brachial pressure index 17…”