Multiple causes of syncope in the elderly: diagnostic outcomes of a Dutch multidisciplinary syncope pathway.
Europace
; 20(5): 867-872, 2018 05 01.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28520944
ABSTRACT
Aims:
To assess the diagnostic outcomes of a multidisciplinary pathway for elderly syncope patients. Methods andresults:
Observational cohort study at a Fall and Syncope Clinic, including consecutive syncope patients aged ≥65 years between 2011 and 2014. Measurements The sort, number, and accuracy of diagnoses resulting in syncope. Secondaryoutcomes:
reliability of the medical history and the number of electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities. The 117 included patients (72% females) had a mean age of 80 ± 6.5 years and a mean of 11 ± 5 (mainly cardiovascular) comorbidities. We found 212 contributing diagnoses. Symptomatic orthostatic/postprandial hypotension was present in 45%, cardiac causes in 44% (rhythm or conduction disorders 24%, aortic stenosis 4%, cardiomyopathies 2%, suspected cardiac causes 15%), and reflex syncope in 21%; 6% remained without any explanation. The diagnosis of the cause of syncope was uncertain in 34.2%, probable in 15.4%, and definite/most likely in 50.4%. Cognitive impaired patients were less likely to give a reliable medical history regarding their syncope (72% vs. 98% in cognitive intact patients, P = 0.001). In only 25% of patients a useful eyewitness account was available. 64% of ECGs showed relevant abnormalities; 26% was suggestive of cardiac syncope, of which 20% showed an indication for device implantation.Conclusion:
The majority of our elderly syncope patients had multiple contributing factors, often in addition to their primary diagnosis. Orthostatic/postprandial hypotension and cardiac disorders were the most frequent. Using a multidisciplinary approach, one or more possible explanations for the syncope were found in 94% of patients, with a definite diagnosis in 50%.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Síncope
/
Manejo de Atención al Paciente
/
Enfermedades Cardiovasculares
/
Hipotensión Ortostática
Tipo de estudio:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Etiology_studies
/
Incidence_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
País/Región como asunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Europace
Asunto de la revista:
CARDIOLOGIA
/
FISIOLOGIA
Año:
2018
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Países Bajos