Continuous cardiac loop ECG recording definitively determined whether an arrhythmia was the cause of symptoms in 36% of patients with unexplained syncope or presyncope.
Observational (n=48)
Does continuous cardiac loop ECG recording determine the arrhythmic cause of symptoms in patients with unexplained syncope or presyncope?
Continuous cardiac loop ECG recording provides a definitive diagnosis in over a third of patients with previously unexplained syncope or presyncope.
The most crucial step in diagnosing syncope is determining whether or not an arrhythmia is the cause. A new recording device, the continuous cardiac loop ECG recorder, affords prolonged ambulatory monitoring and can capture the rhythm at the time of syncope. To determine the impact of cardiac loop ECG recorders in diagnosing syncope, we reviewed the records of the first 48 patients referred for cardiac loop recording because of unexplained syncope or presyncope. Previous cardiac studies were nondiagnostic in all patients. In 36% of these patients, loop recording definitively determined whether an arrhythmia was the cause of symptoms. Median duration of monitoring was 28 days, with an average charge of 180 per month. Cardiac loop ECG recording is a convenient, safe, inexpensive, and potentially highly effective means of diagnosing unexplained syncope.
Cumbee et al. (1990) conducted an observational in Unexplained syncope or presyncope (n=48). Continuous cardiac loop ECG recorder was evaluated on Definitively determined whether an arrhythmia was the cause of symptoms. Continuous cardiac loop ECG recording definitively determined whether an arrhythmia was the cause of symptoms in 36% of patients with unexplained syncope or presyncope.