Management of syncope: clinical and economic impact of a Syncope Unit.
OBJECTIVE
Aim of this observational study is to evaluate the clinical performance of a Syncope Unit, in order to assess whether the implemented organization really improves syncope management.


RESULTS
The study enrolled patients with unexplained syncope who were consecutively referred to our Syncope Unit, either as outpatients or during hospitalization, in a 2-month period. The design of this observational study consists in three phases: a retrospective analysis of their clinical management in the 9 months prior to the first attendance at the Syncope Unit (phase one), their subsequent clinical management in the Syncope Unit (phase two) and a 9-month follow-up (phase three). The retrospective analysis of phase one showed that 25% of patients had already been hospitalized without diagnosis. After Syncope Unit evaluation, diagnosis was obtained in 82% of patients, with 15% of patients indicated to pacing. In the follow-up, 23% of patients experienced a syncopal recurrence. Our analysis indicated an 85% reduction of hospital costs in the follow-up period.


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical and economic analysis of the three phases of our study demonstrates that a Syncope Unit allows an improved management of patients with syncope.
Ammirati
Fabrizio
F
Department of Cardiology, G.B. Grassi Hospital, Via Passeroni 28, Ostia Lido, Roma, Italy. fabammirati@alice.it
Colaceci
Roberto
R
Cesario
Antonio
A
Strano
Stefano
S
Della Scala
Alberto
A
Colangelo
Irene
I
De Santo
Tiziana
T
Toscano
Elena
E
Ricci
Renato
R
Santini
Massimo
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D054869:Clinical Audit; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013575:Syncope / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy*