Ambulatory ECG recording in patients referred for syncope or dizziness captured symptoms in 14.9%, with 50% of these symptomatic episodes having a simultaneous causative ECG finding.
Observational (n=272)
Does ambulatory ECG recording identify the cardiac etiology of syncope or dizziness in referred patients?
Ambulatory ECG recording provides a definitive cardiac etiology in a small subset of patients who experience symptoms during monitoring, while sinus arrest >2.5 seconds is a valuable finding even in symptom-free patients.
Data are presented on patients referred for ambulatory ECG recording because of syncope or dizziness during a 2-year period. Of the 272 consecutive patients subjected to the recording, 107 (39.3%) had syncope or dizziness as the main indication for referral. Sixteen of these patients (14.9%) experienced the presenting symptom during the recording, and in 8 (50%) of these the simultaneous ECG finding was interpreted as causative. In patients who were symptom-free during the recording, sinus arrests exceeding 2.5 seconds seemed to be a valuable finding to support the cardiac aetiology of the syncopal symptoms, whereas the diagnostic value of second degree AV block with either Wenckebach or Mobitz II like patterns, as such, and of ventricular tachycardia remained mostly unsettled.
Kala et al. (Tue,) conducted a observational in Syncope or dizziness (n=272). Ambulatory ECG recording was evaluated on Occurrence of presenting symptom during recording and causative ECG findings. Ambulatory ECG recording in patients referred for syncope or dizziness captured symptoms in 14.9%, with 50% of these symptomatic episodes having a simultaneous causative ECG finding.