Syncope or seizure? A matter of opinion.
We studied the diagnostic interpretation by physicians of written histories of 118 patients with a transient loss of consciousness. Considerable disagreement about a diagnosis of either syncope or seizure was found. Overall agreement was only 31%; an erroneous diagnosis was made in 16% of cases. We concluded that the diagnosis of a seizure after a single event is often too unreliable to justify early treatment.
Hoefnagels
W A
WA
Department of Neurology, Academic Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Padberg
G W
GW
Overweg
J
J
Roos
R A
RA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015588:Observer Variation; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D013575:Syncope / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology