What question did this study set out to answer?

August 21, 2003Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology

Diagnostic Yield of External Electrocardiographic Loop Recorders in Patients with Recurrent Syncope and Negative Tilt Table Test

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Why the study?

What is the diagnostic yield of external loop recorders in patients with recurrent syncope and a negative tilt table test?

Key Points

To assess the diagnostic yield of external electrocardiographic loop recorders in patients with recurrent syncope and a negative tilt table test.
Enrolled 24 consecutive patients (mean age 51 ± 14 years, 9 males) with over two syncopal episodes within 6 months and no overt structural heart disease.
Applied continuous external two-channel loop recorders via skin electrodes for an average monitoring period of 50 ± 22 days.
Monitoring failed or stopped prematurely in 5 of 24 patients (21%) due to skin irritation, cable damage, or accidental data erasure during battery changes.
Recurrent syncope occurred in 8 patients, but cardiac rhythm was successfully captured in only 1 of 8 patients (13%), revealing sinus tachycardia.
Device activation occurred in 14 patients across non-syncopal symptoms, revealing sinus tachycardia in 8 patients and atrial flutter in 2 patients.

Structured PICO

What is the diagnostic yield of external loop recorders in patients with recurrent syncope and a negative tilt table test?

Population

24 consecutive patients (mean age 51 +/- 14 years, 9 male) with >2 recurrent syncopal events within the last 6 months (mean 3 +/- 4), no overt structural heart disease, and a negative tilt table test.

Intervention

External electrocardiographic loop recorder (CardioCall) monitoring for an average of 50 +/- 22 days.

Outcome

Diagnostic yield of external loop recorders for arrhythmia detection during syncopal events.surrogate

External loop recorders have a low diagnostic yield in patients with recurrent syncope and a negative tilt table test due to infrequent events and technical issues.

Limitations

Infrequent syncopal events after baseline evaluation
Rare events during the limited monitoring period
Premature termination or unsuccessful recording in 21% of patients

Discussion

No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.

Implication

Low yield may limit utility of external loop recorders in recurrent syncope; leaves open need for alternative monitoring strategies.

Cite This Study

Schuchert et al. (2003) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a7165aae36a167817e33b68 https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1460-9592.2003.t01-1-00277.x

View Full Paper

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Diagnostic Yield of External Electrocardiographic Loop Recorders in Patients with Recurrent Syncope and Negative Tilt Table Test

Key Points

Structured PICO

Limitations

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

Diagnostic Yield of External Electrocardiographic Loop Recorders in Patients with Recurrent Syncope and Negative Tilt Table Test

Key Points

Structured PICO

Limitations

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

Also Consider

Also Consider