title: [Efficacy of a protocol for the diagnosis and management of syncope in an unselected population].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of a protocol based on European guidelines for the management and diagnosis of syncope applied by a multidisciplinary team in unselected patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  402 unselected patients were followed prospectively in a second-level country hospital, between November 2003 and November 2008 with a protocol based on European Guidelines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Syncope was diagnosed in 83.3% of patients and 26.6% required hospitalization. For every 100 cases, the number of tests carried out and their performance (percentage of positive diagnostic tests/number of tests carried out) was calculated. Tilt test: 31 and performance: 62.4%, Doppler-echocardiography. 17-8.3%, Holter 16-13.2%, cranial CT 5.2-0%, ergometry 1.9-0%, chest CT 1.4-16%, EPS 1.2-33%, ILR 0.7-33%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows a high percentage of diagnoses with low number of tests carried out, emphasizing the performance of tilt test. The study of unselected patients with a protocol based on European Guidelines for the management and diagnosis of syncope applied by a multidisciplinary team was very effective.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Municipal de Badalona, Badalona, Barcelona, España. fplanas@bsa.cat
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Planas Comes
authors.forename: Ludmila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: San Vicente
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Planas Ayma
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Viles
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Planas
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Serrado
authors.forename: Edgardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kaplinsky
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Altimira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D054537:Atrioventricular Block / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D002346:Carotid Sinus; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007024:Hypotension, Orthostatic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013575:Syncope / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D019462:Syncope, Vasovagal / Q000175:diagnosis; D018667:Tilt-Table Test; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult