Assessment of a structured management pathway for patients referred to the Emergency Department for syncope: results in a tertiary hospital.

AIMS: High hospitalization rates (39-58% in the literature) of patients admitted to Emergency Department (ED) for transient loss of consciousness (T-LOC) suspected for syncope are still an unresolved issue. The presence of an Observation Unit has reduced hospital admissions and the duration of hospitalization in controlled studies, and a Syncope Unit (SU) in the hospital may reduce hospitalization and increase the number of diagnoses in patients with T-LOC. We assessed the effect of a structured organization on hospitalization rate and outcome. METHODS AND RESULTS: Consecutive patients referred to the ED for a T-LOC of a suspected syncopal nature as the main diagnosis were included. The ED physician was trained to choose between: hospital admission (directly or after short observation); discharge after short (<48-h) observation; discharge on a fast track to the SU; and direct discharge without any further diagnostics. From January to June 2010, 362 patients were evaluated in the ED: 29% were admitted, 20% underwent short observation in the ED, 20% were referred to the SU, and 31% were directly discharged. Follow-up data were available on 295 patients who were discharged alive: of these, 1 (0.3%) previously hospitalized patient died within 30 days and 16 (5.4%) died within 1 year. Death rates were 12.9, 3.3, 0, and 2.5% among admitted, observation, SU, and ED-discharged patients, respectively. No death could be directly attributed to T-LOC. Re-admission within 1 year for any cause occurred in 72 (24%) patients; re-admission rates were 45.9, 19.3, 11.5, and 18.0% among admitted, observation, SU, and ED-discharged patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The availability of short observation and a SU seems to reduce the hospitalization rate compared with previous reported historical reports from our and other centres. Most deaths during follow-up occurred in patients who had been hospitalized. High rates of re-admission to the ED within 1 year are still an issue.

Fall prevention in the elderly.

Falls are frequent in the elderly and affect mortality, morbidity, loss of functional capacity and institutionalization. In the older patient the incidence of falls can sometimes be underestimated, even in the absence of a clear cognitive impairment, because it is often difficult to reconstruct the dynamics. It is quite common that forms due to syncope are associated with retrograde amnesia and in 40 to 60% of the cases falls happen in the absence of witnesses. The pathogenesis of falls is often multifactorial, due to physiological age-related changes or more properly pathological factors, or due to the environment. The identification of risk factors is essential in the planning of preventive measures. Syncope is one of major causes of falls. About 20% of cardiovascular syncope in patients older than 70 appears as a fall and more than 20% of older people with Carotid Sinus Syndrome complain of falls as well as syncope. These data clearly state that older patients with history of falls should undergo a cardiovascular and neuroautonomic assessment besides the survey of other risk factors. Multifactorial assessment requires a synergy of various specialists. The geriatrician coordinates the multidisciplinary intervention in order to make the most effective evaluation of the risk of falling, searching for all predisposing factors, aiming towards a program of prevention. In clear pathological conditions it is possible to enact a specific treatment. Particular attention must indeed be paid to the re-evaluation of drug therapy, with dose adjustments or withdrawal especially for antihypertensive, diuretics and benzodiazepines. The Guidelines of the American Geriatrics Society recommend modification of environmental hazards, training paths, hip protectors and appropriate use of support tools (sticks, walkers), which can be effective elements of a multifactorial intervention program. Balance exercises are also recommended. In conclusion, an initial assessment, supported by a comprehensive cardiovascular and neuroautonomic evaluation, allows for reaching a final diagnosis in most cases, demonstrating a key role in the real identification of the etiology of the fall and implementing the treatment measures.

Family and healthcare staff's perception of delirium.

PURPOSE: To review the available literature regarding delirium experiences of family caregivers and healthcare staff, to discuss how caregivers and staff perception can increase delirium detection and to summarize how to address the needs of family caregivers and healthcare providers in delirium care. METHODS: "State of the science" paper. RESULTS: High levels of caregiver stress are associated with delirium, although sources and features of burden differ according to background health status of patients, i.e. older subjects, with or without dementia, or terminal neoplastic disease. Family observation of cognitive changes is key for delirium detection, especially when dementia coexists, and is included in available delirium detection instruments. Healthcare staff experiences a high level of burden associated with delirium care, but often does not recognize delirium according to literature. An interprofessional healthcare staff education can improve attitudes towards delirium and increase delirium awareness, although intervention studies are still limited. Flexible visiting time is important to reduce family burden, although it needs appropriate staff training and work organization to avoid the risk of increased nurse burn-out. CONCLUSION: Delirium is a stressful event not only for patients but also for family caregivers and healthcare staff, especially nurses. Recording the observations of family members and healthcare staff can help in delirium detection. Staff education is crucial to reduce the burden of professional and family caregivers.

Incidence and predictors of syncope recurrence after cardiac pacing in patients with carotid sinus syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac pacing is the treatment of choice for cardioinhibitory carotid sinus syndrome (CSS), but syncope recurrence occurs in up to 20% of patients within 3 years. The present study aims at assessing incidence and identifying predictors of syncope recurrence in patients receiving pacing therapy for CSS. METHODS: The Syncope Clinics of two large regional hospitals in Northern Italy, both following European Syncope Guidelines, combined to perform this study. Retrospective analysis of 3127 consecutive patients undergoing carotid sinus massage (CSM) was performed 2004-2014. Ten-second supine and standing CSM was systematically assessed in patients aged >40 years with suspected reflex syncope as part of the initial evaluation. Syncope recurrence was investigated in those paced for CSS having >6 months' available follow-up. Data were collected from clinical records and patient interviews. RESULTS: CSS was diagnosed in 261 patients (8.3%). Pacemakers were implanted in 158, with follow-up data available in 112: 19 (17%) experienced 73 syncope recurrences during a mean follow-up of 89 ±â€¯42 months, yielding an incidence of 0.5 episodes per patient/year. Prodrome, predisposing situations preceding syncope and chronic nitrate therapy were more frequent in patients reporting recurrence. Prodrome and predisposing situations remained independent predictors of post-implantation recurrence on multivariable analysis. CONCLUSIONS: CSS is a frequent cause of syncope, if CSM is performed during the initial evaluation. Most patients treated by pacing remain asymptomatic during long-term follow-up. In those who have recurrence, its incidence is very low. Prodrome and predisposing situations are predictors of post-implantation recurrence, suggesting presence of hypotensive susceptibility.

Retrospective analysis of patients with dizziness evaluated in Syncope Unit: a real life experience.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the characteristics of patients referred for dizziness to a Syncope Unit. METHODS: This is a retrospective study. Of 491 patients referred to the Syncope Unit of Careggi Hospital in 2015, 198 (40.3%) who experienced dizziness alone or associated with a history of transient loss of consciousness were enrolled. All the patients underwent an initial evaluation according to the European Society of Cardiology guidelines on syncope. We compared the clinical characteristics and final diagnosis of patients referred for dizziness alone (n = 64) to those of patients with dizziness and history of transient loss of consciousness (n = 134). RESULTS: The study population had a mean age of 62 ± 20 years (range 16-96 years) and 101 (51%) were female. A final diagnosis of pre-syncope was made in about the 80% of the patients without a previous history of transient loss of consciousness. In this group, other diagnoses were benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (6.3%), transient ischemic attack (4.7%) or psychogenic dizziness (7.8%). Syncope was diagnosed in the 82.7% of the patients with dizziness and history of transient loss of consciousness. CONCLUSION: Dizziness was the main reason for referral to the Syncope Unit in almost one-third of the patients, in whom pre-syncope was the most frequent final diagnosis. Otological, neurological and psychiatric disorders should be also considered as differential diagnosis, highlighting the importance of a multidisciplinary approach.

Recognition of Delirium Features in Clinical Practice: Data from the "Delirium Day 2015" National Survey.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Delirium is underrecognized in clinical practice. The primary aim of the present multicenter study was to compare the ability of nurses to identify delirium features with a standardized assessment. The secondary aim was to identify predictors of missed or incorrect identifications of delirium by nurses. DESIGN: Point prevalence study in 120 wards across Italy. SETTING: "Delirium Day 2015." PARTICIPANTS: Inpatients aged 65 and older (N = 1,867). MEASUREMENTS: Participants and nurses were asked specific questions to investigate their perceptions of the presence of delirium features (acute cognitive change, inattention, cognitive fluctuations, impaired arousal). Delirium was identified according to the results of the Assessment Test for Delirium and Cognitive Impairment (4AT), completed by a physician. Comorbidities including dementia, disability, drug treatments, and delirium motor subtype according to the Delirium Motor Subtype Scale were recorded. RESULTS: Delirium was present in 429 subjects (23%) according to the 4AT. Cognitive fluctuations was the delirium feature that the nurses most often recognized. Nurses' perceptions of acute cognitive change, cognitive fluctuations, or impaired arousal had 84% sensitivity and 81% specificity for delirium. The nonmotor subtype of delirium was less likely to be recognized (80%) than the hyperactive (97%), mixed (92%), and hypoactive (90%) subtypes. Incorrect perception of delirium was more frequent in subjects with dementia (specificity 64%). CONCLUSIONS: The delirium feature that nurses were best able to recognize was cognitive fluctuations. The nonmotor subtype was associated with a lower recognition rate. Routine observation and registration of delirium features by nurses in clinical practice might be helpful to increase formal diagnosis of delirium.

Stop vasodepressor drugs in reflex syncope: a randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: Most elderly patients affected by reflex vasodepressor syncope take one or more hypotensive drugs. The role of these drugs in causing syncope has not yet been established. We hypothesised that recurrence of syncope and presyncope can be reduced by discontinuing/reducing vasoactive therapy without increasing the risk of cardiovascular and neurological events. METHODS: This randomised, parallel, prospective, trial was conducted from January 2014 to March 2016 in four general hospitals. Of 328 initially screened participants, 58 patients (mean (SD) age 74±11 years) affected by vasodepressor reflex syncope, which was reproduced by tilt testing (n=54) or carotid sinus massage (n=4), were randomised to stop/reduce vasoactive therapy or to continue it. Primary end point was recurrence of syncope, presyncope or adverse events (defined as stroke, cerebral transient ischaemic attacks, worsening heart failure, myocardial infarction). RESULTS: Of 58 patients who were randomised, 55 completed the trial. After 1 month, systolic blood pressure was significantly higher in the 'stop/reduce' group than in the 'continue' group, in both supine (141±13 mm Hg vs 128±14 mm Hg; p=0.004) and standing (133±13 mm Hg vs 122±15 mm Hg; p=0.02) positions. During a mean follow-up of 13±7 months, the primary combined end point occurred in seven 'stop/reduce' patients (23%): three had syncope, three had presyncope and one had heart failure. Conversely, it occurred in 13 'continue' patients (54%): 10 had syncope, 2 had presyncope and 1 had cerebral transient ischaemic attack. The log-rank p value was 0.02 and the HR was 0.37 (95% CI 0.15 to 0.91). CONCLUSIONS: Recurrence of syncope and presyncope can be reduced by discontinuing/reducing vasoactive therapy in most elderly patients affected by reflex vasodepressor syncope. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT01509534; EudraCT2013-004364-63; Results.

Mechanism of syncope without prodromes with normal heart and normal electrocardiogram.

BACKGROUND: "Unexplained syncope, no prodromes, and normal heart" has been described as a distinct clinical and biological entity. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the mechanism of syncope. METHODS: In this prospective multicenter study, 58 patients presenting with unexplained syncope, no prodromes, and a normal heart received an implantable loop recorder (ILR) and were followed up until a diagnosis was established. Their outcomes were compared with those of 389 patients affected by reflex syncope with prodromes who received an ILR. RESULTS: During a mean observation period of 16 ± 13 months, a diagnostic event was documented by the ILR in 29 patients (50%); an asystolic pause of 11 ± 5 seconds (range 3.5-22 seconds) was present at the time of the diagnostic event in 19 patients (66%). Compared with patients affected by reflex syncope with prodromes, patients with unexplained syncope, no prodromes, and a normal heart more frequently had an asystolic syncope (66% vs 47%; P = .001), and this was more frequently due to idiopathic paroxysmal atrioventricular block (47% vs 21%; P = .04). Ten patients with asystolic pauses underwent cardiac pacing, and 8 patients underwent oral theophylline treatment. During the subsequent 17 ± 12 months of follow-up, syncope recurred in 1 patient on theophylline and presyncope occurred in 1 patient with pacemaker. CONCLUSION: A long asystolic pause, frequently due to idiopathic paroxysmal atrioventricular block, played a role in the mechanism of syncope in two-thirds of patients who had electrocardiographic documentation of a diagnostic event. When a specific therapy was administered in patients with asystolic syncope, the short outcome was favorable.