Syncope in a Working-Age Population: Recurrence Risk and Related Risk Factors.

Syncope in a worker undertaking risky tasks may result in fatalities for the individual or for third parties. We aimed at assessing the rate of syncope recurrence and the risk factors underlying the likelihood of syncope relapse in a working-age population. A prospective cohort of all patients aged 18⁻65 years consecutively admitted to the Emergency Department for syncope was enrolled. Risk of syncope relapse was assessed at a six-month, 1-year, and 5-year follow-up. Predictors of syncope recurrence have been evaluated at six months and 1 year from the syncope index by a multivariable logistic regression analysis. 348 patients were enrolled. Risk of syncope relapse was 9.2% at 6 months, 11.8% at 1 year, and 23.4% at 5 years. At 6-month follow-up, predictor of syncope recurrence was ≥3 prior lifetime syncope episodes. At 1-year, ≥3 prior lifetime syncope episodes, diabetes mellitus, and anaemia were risk factors for syncope relapse. There was an exceeding risk of recurrence in the first 6 months and a reduced risk of 3.5% per year after the first year. Anaemia, diabetes mellitus, and prior lifetime syncope burden are of importance when giving advice about the resumption of "high risk" jobs following a syncope episode.

Influence of climate on emergency department visits for syncope: role of air temperature variability.

BACKGROUND: Syncope is a clinical event characterized by a transient loss of consciousness, estimated to affect 6.2/1000 person-years, resulting in remarkable health care and social costs. Human pathophysiology suggests that heat may promote syncope during standing. We tested the hypothesis that the increase of air temperatures from January to July would be accompanied by an increased rate of syncope resulting in a higher frequency of Emergency Department (ED) visits. We also evaluated the role of maximal temperature variability in affecting ED visits for syncope. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We included 770 of 2775 consecutive subjects who were seen for syncope at four EDs between January and July 2004. This period was subdivided into three epochs of similar length: 23 January-31 March, 1 April-31 May and 1 June-31 July. Spectral techniques were used to analyze oscillatory components of day by day maximal temperature and syncope variability and assess their linear relationship. There was no correlation between daily maximum temperatures and number of syncope. ED visits for syncope were lower in June and July when maximal temperature variability declined although the maximal temperatures themselves were higher. Frequency analysis of day by day maximal temperature variability showed a major non-random fluctuation characterized by a ∼23-day period and two minor oscillations with ∼3- and ∼7-day periods. This latter oscillation was correlated with a similar ∼7-day fluctuation in ED visits for syncope. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We conclude that ED visits for syncope were not predicted by daily maximal temperature but were associated with increased temperature variability. A ∼7-day rhythm characterized both maximal temperatures and ED visits for syncope variability suggesting that climate changes may have a significant effect on the mode of syncope occurrence.

San Francisco Syncope Rule, Osservatorio Epidemiologico sulla Sincope nel Lazio risk score, and clinical judgment in the assessment of short-term outcome of syncope.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to compare the efficacy of the Osservatorio Epidemiologico sulla Sincope nel Lazio (OESIL) risk score, San Francisco Syncope Rule, and clinical judgment in assessing the short-term prognosis of syncope. METHODS: We studied 488 patients consecutively seen for syncope at the emergency department of 2 general hospitals between January and July 2004. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and likelihood ratios for short-term (within 10 days) severe outcomes were computed for each decision rule and clinical judgment. Severe outcomes comprised death, major therapeutic procedures, and early readmission to hospital. RESULTS: Clinical judgment had a sensitivity of 77%, a specificity of 69%, and would have admitted less patients (34%, P < .05 vs decision rules). The OESIL risk score was characterized by a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 60% (admission 43%). San Francisco Syncope Rule sensitivity was 81% and specificity was 63% (admission 40%). According to both clinical rules, no discharged patient would have died. With combined OESIL risk score and clinical judgment, the probability of adverse events was 0.7% for patients with both low risk scores, whereas that for both high risk scores was roughly 16%. CONCLUSION: Because of a relatively low sensitivity, both risk scores were partially lacking in recognizing patients with short-term high-risk syncope. However, the application of the decision rules would have identified all patients who subsequently died, and OESIL risk score and clinical judgment combined seem to improve the decision-making process concerning the identification of high-risk patients who deserve admission.

Short- and long-term prognosis of syncope, risk factors, and role of hospital admission: results from the STePS (Short-Term Prognosis of Syncope) study.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess short- and long-term prognosis of syncope and associated risk factors. BACKGROUND: Syncope is a common clinical event, but our knowledge of its short-term outcome is largely incomplete. Further, it is unknown whether hospital admission might positively affect a patient's syncope prognosis. METHODS: We screened 2,775 consecutive subjects who presented for syncope at 4 emergency departments between January and July 2004. Short- and long-term severe outcomes (i.e., death and major therapeutic procedures) and related risk factors were compared in all enrolled patients arrayed according to hospital admission or discharge. RESULTS: A total of 676 subjects were included in the study. Forty-one subjects (6.1%) experienced severe outcomes (5 deaths, 0.7%; 36 major therapeutic procedures, 5.4%) in the 10 days after presentation. An abnormal electrocardiogram, concomitant trauma, absence of symptoms of impending syncope, and male gender were associated with short-term unfavorable outcomes. Long-term severe outcomes were 9.3% (40 deaths, 6.0%; 22 major therapeutic procedures, 3.3%), and their occurrence was correlated with an age >65 years, history of neoplasms, cerebrovascular diseases, structural heart diseases, and ventricular arrhythmias. Short-term major therapeutic procedures were more common (p < 0.05) in subjects who had been admitted to hospital (13.3%) than in discharged (1.6%), whereas mortality was similar. One-year mortality was greater (p < 0.05) in admitted (14.7%) than in discharged (1.8%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors for short- and long-term adverse outcomes after syncope differed. Hospital admission favorably influenced syncope short term prognosis. Instead, 1-year mortality was unaffected by hospital admission and related to comorbidity.