Acute upper limb ischaemia (AULI) is a critical vascular emergency characterised by the abrupt loss of arterial blood flow to the upper extremities. Timely revascularisation, ideally within 6 hours, is crucial, especially when motor or sensory dysfunction is present. While surgical/endovascular intervention remains the conventional approach, patients with less severe presentations may sometimes respond to medical management alone.
To date, no randomised controlled trials have compared the treatment methods for patients with acute upper limb ischaemia. Effective management of AULI is highly contingent upon assessing the ischaemia severity and pinpointing the etiological factors at play. The European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS) 2020 Guidelines recommend conservative management with anticoagulation for certain patients, though this requires careful monitoring to avoid progression.
Introducing the ARMIES Study
To address the current evidence gap in AULI management, the multicentre service evaluation project ‘ARMIES’ was launched. The study aimed to evaluate current treatment strategies and clinical outcomes against the ESVS guidelines, comparing data with international benchmarks. The study will provide valuable insights into the incidence of AULI, the treatment modalities employed, patient outcomes, and associated risk factors, ultimately enhancing care standards for this serious condition.
The full project protocol is available here. The results of the initial survey are now published here.
Data collection for this international, multicentre study started on the 7th of October 2024.
Registration has unfortunately now closed. If you have any questions about the project please get in contact with the ARMIES team at [email protected].