Syncope of unknown origin. Thirty month follow-up

pp 554-560

Abstract

Between June 1989 and December 1991 we have evaluated all the patients with syncope admitted in our institution with the object to study that cases with unknown origin. We used an setpwise protocol in order to find the causes and prognosis of this population. Results: Patients who met the inclusion criteria were evaluated and followed during 30 month (median 16 month). We included 204 patients. In 34 cases the origin remained unknown (16.7 %), 30 patients (14.7 %) of cardiac etiology and 140 patients of non cardiac origin. During the follow up the mortality rate was 8.8 % (3 patients) greater than non cardiac syncope and less than cardiac syncope. All the death patients were older than 50 years. The mean age was 67.6 years. The presence of structural cardiac abnormalities was more frequent in this group (29.4 % against 8 % in the non cardiac syncope). The number of previous syncope and the incidence of prodromos were greater than other tipes of syncope.