Key result
An implantable loop recorder successfully confirmed the arrhythmic cause of syncope in 55.6% (10 of 18) of patients with recurrent unexplained syncope.
Why the study?
Does an implantable loop recorder improve diagnosis in patients with recurrent unexplained syncope?
Observational (n=18)
No
Does an implantable loop recorder improve diagnosis in patients with recurrent unexplained syncope?
Implantable loop recorders provide a diagnostic yield of over 50% in patients with recurrent unexplained syncope, mostly within the first 6 months of implantation.
May aid diagnosis in recurrent unexplained syncope; leaves open need for larger prospective validation before practice change.
PURPOSE: The mechanisms underlying syncope remain unknown in about 20% of patients with recurrent syncope. The implantable loop recorder (ILR) has been shown to be a useful diagnostic tool in patients with unexplained syncope even after negative initial evaluations. Nevertheless, ILR has rarely been used in clinical practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 18 consecutive patients who had an ILR implanted at our center because of recurrent unexplained syncope after extensive diagnostic tests between February 2006 and June 2011. RESULTS: Diagnosis was confirmed in 10 (55.6%) of the 18 enrolled patients (13 males, 61±15 years). The confirmed diagnoses included sick sinus syndrome (n=6, 60%), advanced atrioventricular block (n=2, 20%) and ventricular tachyarrhythmia (n=2, 20%). The mean follow-up durations of the total study subjects and the diagnosed patients were 11.3±10.6 months and 5.6±9.2 months, respectively. Of the 10 diagnosed patients, 8 (80%) were diagnosed within 6 months of loop recorder implantation. CONCLUSION: ILR may be a valuable and effective diagnostic tool for patients with unexplained syncope.
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Kang et al. (2013) conducted an observational in Syncope of an unknown cause (n=18). Implantable loop recorder (ILR) was evaluated on Confirmed diagnosis of the cause of syncope. An implantable loop recorder successfully confirmed the arrhythmic cause of syncope in 55.6% (10 of 18) of patients with recurrent unexplained syncope.
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