title: Etiology of Syncope in Patients Hospitalized With Syncope and Predictors of Mortality and Readmission for Syncope at 17-Month Follow-Up: A Prospective Study.
abstract: We investigated the etiologies of syncope and risk factors for mortality and rehospitalization for syncope at 17-month follow-up in a prospective study of 242 consecutive patients, mean age 69 years, hospitalized for syncope. The etiologies of syncope included the following: vasovagal syncope in 49 patients (20%), volume depletion in 39 patients (16%), orthostatic hypotension in 13 patients (5%), primary cardiac arrhythmias in 25 patients (10.3%), structural cardiac disease in 6 patients (2%), and drug overdose in 5 patients (2%). The etiology of syncope could not be determined in 84 patients (35%). Of the 242 patients, 6 (2%) were rehospitalized for syncope and 12 (5%) died. Stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that the significant independent prognostic factors for rehospitalization for syncope were drug overdose [odds ratio (OR): 11.506; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.083-22.261]. Stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that significant independent prognostic factors for time to mortality were undetermined etiology of syncope (OR: 4.665; 95% CI: 1.002, 21.727), San Francisco Syncope Score (OR: 3.537; 95% CI: 1.472-8.496), hypertension (OR: 0.099; 95% CI: 0.019-0.504), and glomerular filtration rate (OR: 0.964; 95% CI: 0.937-0.993).
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY; and 2Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.
authors.forename: Sachin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sule
authors.forename: Chandrasekar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Palaniswamy
authors.forename: Wilbert S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Aronow
authors.forename: Sreedhar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adapa
authors.forename: Sahil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khera
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Chul
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Nivas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Balasubramaniyam
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nabors
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010359:Patient Readmission; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013575:Syncope / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality