What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of diagnostic approaches for patients with syncope of unknown origin.

May 21, 1982JAMA

Syncope of unknown origin. The need for a more cost-effective approach to its diagnosis evaluation

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Why the study?

Does extensive diagnostic evaluation for syncope of unknown origin provide a cost-effective diagnostic yield?

Population

121 patients hospitalized for syncope of unknown origin, mean age 63.1 years, 58 men and 63 women.

Design

Cohort

Follow-up

average hospitalization of nine days

Authors

WKWishwa N. KapoorUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Questions cost-effectiveness of broad syncope evaluations; supports targeted protocols in prospective studies.

Key Points

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of diagnostic approaches for patients with syncope of unknown origin.
Retrospective review of records from 121 hospitalized patients with syncope
Utilization of various diagnostic tests including cardiac monitoring and electrophysiologic studies
Analysis of diagnostic yield and associated costs from extensive evaluations
Definitive cause for syncope diagnosed in 13 out of 121 patients (10.7%)
Average hospitalization lasted nine days with a cost of $2,463 per patient
Majority of diagnostic tests, including imaging and laboratory tests, did not yield useful results

Structured PICO

Does extensive diagnostic evaluation for syncope of unknown origin provide a cost-effective diagnostic yield?

Population

121 patients hospitalized for syncope of unknown origin, mean age 63.1 years, 58 men and 63 women.

Intervention

Extensive diagnostic evaluation including cardiac monitoring, electrophysiologic studies, cardiac catheterization, and various neurological and metabolic tests.

Outcome

Diagnostic yield of the evaluation and cost of hospitalization.

Extensive, non-directed diagnostic evaluation for syncope of unknown origin has a low diagnostic yield and is cost-ineffective, highlighting the need for goal-directed approaches.

Cite This Study

Wishwa N. Kapoor (1982) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a712d6aa7fbea1e44085555 https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.247.19.2687

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Syncope of unknown origin. The need for a more cost-effective approach to its diagnosis evaluation

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Structured PICO

Cite This Study

Syncope of unknown origin. The need for a more cost-effective approach to its diagnosis evaluation

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Structured PICO

Cite This Study

Also Consider

Also Consider