title: Comparison of diagnostic accuracy of sublingual nitroglycerin test and low-dose isoproterenol test in patients with unexplained syncope.
abstract: Despite the widespread use of head-up tilt testing as a means for diagnosing vasovagal syncope, standardization of test methodology remains a controversial issue. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic value of head-up tilt testing potentiated with sublingual nitroglycerin with that of head-up tilt testing potentiated with low-dose isoproterenol. For this purpose, 71 patients with unexplained syncope (mean age 43 years) and 30 asymptomatic controls were studied. All underwent the sublingual nitroglycerin and low-dose isoproterenol tests on separate days in a randomized fashion. The protocol of the 2 tests was similar and consisted of 2 phases. Initially, subjects were tilted at 60 degrees for 20 minutes without medication; then, if syncope did not occur, patients and controls received sublingual nitroglycerin (300 microg) or low-dose intravenous isoproterenol (mean infusion rate 1.3 +/- 0.5 microg/min) and continued to be tilted at 60 degrees for a further 20 minutes. During the sublingual nitroglycerin test, a positive response (syncope associated with sudden hypotension and bradycardia) occurred in 35 patients (49%), a negative response in 36 (51%), and drug intolerance in none (0%). During the low-dose isoproterenol test, these percentages were 41%, 59%, and 6%, respectively. A concordant response was observed in 53 cases (75%). Among controls, 3 subjects (10%) had a positive response to the sublingual nitroglycerin test and 4 (13%) to the low-dose isoproterenol test. It is concluded that sublingual nitroglycerin and low-dose isoproterenol are equivalent tests for evaluating patients with unexplained syncope. The sublingual nitroglycerin test, however, is simpler, better tolerated, and safer than the low-dose isoproterenol test and, thus, more suitable for routine clinical use.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Ospedale Umberto I, Mestre-Venice, Italy. araviele@tin.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raviele
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giada
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brignole
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Menozzi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marangoni
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Manzillo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alboni
mesh_terms: D000286:Administration, Sublingual; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D019462:Syncope, Vasovagal / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018667:Tilt-Table Test; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D005996:Nitroglycerin; D007545:Isoproterenol