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Impedance cardiography: a role in vasovagal syncope diagnosis?

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Steve Parry, Jessie Pairman, Katharine Wilton, Emerita Professor Julia Newton

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Abstract

Objective: to investigate the potential for impedance cardiography (ICG)-derived haemodynamic measures to predict HUT test outcome in unexplained syncope. Design: prospective controlled study. Subjects: eighty-six patients with unexplained syncope and 43 non-syncopal controls. Methods: all subjects underwent continuous heart rate, blood pressure and ICG measurements during 10 min supine rest and during HUT. Vasovagal syncope was diagnosed when patients experienced symptom reproduction with concomitant haemodynamic derangements. Results: during rest prior to HUT, the syncopal group had higher mean heart rate (P = 0.0008) and lower baroreceptor effectiveness index (P 3.5, EDI > 77, LVWI > 4.7) with 93% sensitivity and 17% specificity. Conclusion: supine haemodynamic measures derived from transthoracic ICG can simply, non-invasively and sensitively differentiate HUT-positive patients from those with negative tilt tests. Further work is needed, particularly in older patients, before this technique can be used in clinical practice.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Parry SW, Norton M, Pairman J, Baptist M, Wilton K, Reeve P, Sutcliffe K, Newton JL

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Age and Ageing

Year: 2009

Volume: 38

Issue: 6

Pages: 718-723

ISSN (print): 0002-0729

ISSN (electronic): 1468-2834

Publisher: Oxford University Press

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afp167

DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afp167

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