title: Experimental evaluation of a common susceptibility to motion sickness and vasovagal syncope in children.
abstract: In children, vasovagal syncope (VVS) is the most common cause of syncope and motion sickness (MS) is also very frequent, with many symptoms of an autonomic nature. To study a possible relationship between VVS susceptibility and MS susceptibility in young patients, 21 children (10 boys, 11.3+/-2.6 years) with recurrent syncope or presyncope were explored with a questionnaire concerning their vasovagal symptoms, susceptibility to MS and familial history. A tilt-table test and a dynamic posturography with Equitest (Sensory Organisation Test (SOT), in six conditions) were performed. Children were divided into two groups: A with a positive tilt-table test and particular susceptibility to VVS (n=13/21, six boys) and B with negative tilt-table test. A control group of 30 healthy children (15 boys, 11.4+/-2.4 years) was studied for MS susceptibility and familial history. VVS susceptibility was related to MS susceptibility (MS susceptibility was 69.3% in Group A versus 12.5% in Group B (p=0.0237) and 16.7% in control group (p=0.0028)) and also to SOT scores which are related both to the role of vestibule in equilibrium and to MS susceptibility, with lower values in Group A than Group B (condition 5: 47.9+/-12.3% versus 66.0+/-13.8%, p=0.0189 and vestibular (ratio of conditions 5/1): 51.8+/-12.7% versus 71.3+/-13.5%, p=0.0147). Our study demonstrates, for the first time, a relationship between VVS susceptibility and MS susceptibility in a population of children with a particular susceptibility to VVS. This paradigm may prove useful in better understanding the mechanisms underlying the susceptibility to VVS and MS.
authors.affiliation: Service de Cardiologie Pédiatrique, Hôpital d'Enfants, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nancy, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bosser
authors.forename: Gérome C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Gauchard
authors.forename: Béatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brembilla-Perrot
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marçon
authors.forename: Philippe P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Perrin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009041:Motion Sickness / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D019462:Syncope, Vasovagal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018667:Tilt-Table Test / Q000379:methods