TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence and clinical outcomes of patients with multiple potential causes of syncope
AU - Chen, Lin Y.
AU - Gersh, Bernard J.
AU - Hodge, David O.
AU - Wieling, Wouter
AU - Hammill, Stephen C.
AU - Shen, Win Kuang
PY - 2003/4/1
Y1 - 2003/4/1
N2 - Objective: To determine the prevalence, predictors, and prognosis of patients with multiple potential causes of syncope. Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study with prospective follow-up of consecutive patients with syncope of uncertain cause who were referred to the electrophysiology service for syncope evaluation from January 1, 1996, through December 31, 1998. The main outcome measures were prevalence of multiple potential causes of syncope, survival of patients with multiple potential causes of syncope compared with survival of patients with a single cause, and clinical predictors of multiple potential causes of syncope. Results: A total of 987 patients were studied (mean ± SD age, 58.0±21.4 years; male, 550 [55.7%]). Multiple potential causes were present in 182 patients (18.4%). Patients with multiple potential causes of syncope had a lower survival rate at 4 years, 73.1% (95% confidence interval, 64.6%-82.8%), vs those with a single cause, 89.3% (95% confidence interval, 86.4%-92.2%) (P<.001). Multivariate predictors of multiple potential causes were older age, atrial fibrillation, use of cardiac medications, and New York Heart Association classification II, III, and IV. Conclusion: Of the patients evaluated for syncope, 18.4% had multiple potential causes. The presence of multiple potential causes was an independent predictor of increased mortality among patients with syncope.
AB - Objective: To determine the prevalence, predictors, and prognosis of patients with multiple potential causes of syncope. Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study with prospective follow-up of consecutive patients with syncope of uncertain cause who were referred to the electrophysiology service for syncope evaluation from January 1, 1996, through December 31, 1998. The main outcome measures were prevalence of multiple potential causes of syncope, survival of patients with multiple potential causes of syncope compared with survival of patients with a single cause, and clinical predictors of multiple potential causes of syncope. Results: A total of 987 patients were studied (mean ± SD age, 58.0±21.4 years; male, 550 [55.7%]). Multiple potential causes were present in 182 patients (18.4%). Patients with multiple potential causes of syncope had a lower survival rate at 4 years, 73.1% (95% confidence interval, 64.6%-82.8%), vs those with a single cause, 89.3% (95% confidence interval, 86.4%-92.2%) (P<.001). Multivariate predictors of multiple potential causes were older age, atrial fibrillation, use of cardiac medications, and New York Heart Association classification II, III, and IV. Conclusion: Of the patients evaluated for syncope, 18.4% had multiple potential causes. The presence of multiple potential causes was an independent predictor of increased mortality among patients with syncope.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0037377787&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0037377787&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4065/78.4.414
DO - 10.4065/78.4.414
M3 - Article
C2 - 12683693
AN - SCOPUS:0037377787
SN - 0025-6196
VL - 78
SP - 414
EP - 420
JO - Mayo Clinic Proceedings
JF - Mayo Clinic Proceedings
IS - 4
ER -