ArticleEuropace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology2023
Definitive aetiology of unexplained syncope after cardiovascular autonomic tests in a tertiary syncope unit.
Article in Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 14 citations in OpenAlex.
- Utility and best practices for clinical diagnostic testing of the autonomic nervous system: A Consensus Statement Endorsed by the American Autonomic Society and the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine.Clinical autonomic research : official journal of the Clinical Autonomic Research Society · 2026Review
- Indications, contraindications, and step-by-step methodology for performing carotid sinus massage in patients presenting with syncope : A scientific statement of an Ad Hoc Syncope Consortium endorsed by: the European Autonomic Society (EFAS), Gruppo Italiano Multidisciplinare Syncope (GIMSI) and European Geriatric Medicine Society (EuGMS).Clinical autonomic research : official journal of the Clinical Autonomic Research Society · 2026Review
- Syncope diagnostic evaluation in a southern European population: patterns of clinical practice and cost implications.BMC health services research · 2026Observational
- Now is the time to take syncope seriously.The British journal of cardiology · 2026Article
- Syncope: Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment 2024.Journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology · 2025Review
- The hope and the hype of artificial intelligence for syncope management.European heart journal. Digital health · 2025Article
- Clinical characteristics of psychogenic pseudosyncope in a population-based cohort.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2025Article
- Syncope and All-Cause Mortality in Heart Failure: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.Mayo Clinic proceedings. Innovations, quality & outcomes · 2025Article
- Aetiology and haemodynamic patterns of orthostatic hypotension in a tertiary syncope unit.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2025Article
- Carotid sinus massage in clinical practice.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2025Article
- Mechanism of syncope: role of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and cardiovascular autonomic function assessment.European heart journal · 2025Observational
- Carotid sinus massage in clinical practice: the Six-Step-Method.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2024Article
- Procedural and Intermediate-term Results of the Electroanatomical-guided Cardioneuroablation for the Treatment of Supra-Hisian Second- or Advanced-degree Atrioventricular Block: the PIRECNA multicentre registry.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2024Article
- The Community Pharmacy as a Study Center for the Epidemiological Analysis of the Population Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2: Evaluation of Vaccine Safety and Pharmaceutical Service.Pharmacy (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- A cross-sectional nationwide survey of guideline based syncope units in the Netherlands: the SU-19 score-a novel validation for best practices.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2023Article
- A contemporary review of the head-up tilt test: Utility and limitations.Indian heart journalReview
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
aimsSyncope is a common condition with many possible causes, ranging from benign to life-threatening aetiologies. Establishing a diagnosis can be difficult, and specialized syncope units, using cardiovascular autonomic tests (CATs), including a head-up tilt test, can increase the diagnostic yield. However, up to one-fifth of examined patients have inconclusive CAT results. The aim of the present study was to investigate the predictive value of history, and clinical findings for unexplained syncope after CAT and characterize the group with negative results. METHODS AND
resultsConsecutive syncope patients [n = 2663, 61% women, median age 52 (32-69) years] were evaluated and CAT explained aetiology of syncope in 79% of cases, whereas 21% remained unexplained. Predictors of negative CAT were older age at first syncope (+8% higher odds per 10-year increment, P = 0.042), higher supine heart rate (HR; +12% per 10 b.p.m.; P = 0.003), absence of prodromes (+48%; P < 0.001), hypertension (+45%; P = 0.003), diabetes (+82%; P < 0.001), heart failure (+98%; P = 0.014), and coronary artery disease (+51%; P = 0.027). Compared with vasovagal syncope, patients with negative CAT were older, reported more often the absence of prodromes, and had a higher burden of cardiovascular comorbidities.
conclusionA cardiovascular autonomic test established the cause of syncope in 79% of patients evaluated in a syncope unit. Syncope without prodromes and cardiovascular comorbidities were significant predictors of failure to reveal an aetiology from assessment by CAT. These are known risk factors for cardiac syncope and patients with inconclusive CAT warrant further investigation.
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