title: Echocardiographic findings in a contemporary Afro-Caribbean Population referred for evaluation of unexplained syncope.
abstract: Echocardiographic findings were reviewed for 106 patients (mean age 41.3 +/- 23.0 years, range 3 to 90 years, 61% female) referred for evaluation of unexplained syncope. Abnormal echocardiographic findings were seen in 36/106 (34%) patients, of which 12/106 (11%) may have an abnormality that contributed to symptoms. Abnormal echocardiographic findings (64 vs 6%, p < 0.01) and those possibly causing syncope (22 vs 0%, p < 0.05) were significantly more likely in the oldest tercile of patients compared with the youngest. No patient less than 35 years old had a possibly diagnostic abnormality.
authors: The Antigua Heart Centre, Belmont Clinic,St John's Antigua and Barbuda. tcmartin@emh.org
authors: T C
authors: TC
authors: Martin
authors: B K
authors: BK
authors: Bains
authors: P A
authors: PA
authors: Aslam
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044383:Black People; D017691:Caribbean Region / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013575:Syncope / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult