[Impact of attack frequency and therapy strategies on outcome of patients with vasovagal syncope].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the impact of attack frequency as well as therapy strategies on outcome of patients with vasovagal syncope (VVS).


METHODS
A total of 159 patients (aged from 15 - 59 years old) with VVS were included in this study. Patients were divided into low frequency (< 3) group (n = 95) and high (≥ 3) frequency group (n = 64) according to the attack frequency in the past 5 years at the primary survey. Patients received one of the three therapies: no treatment, physical therapy, and comprehensive treatment. All cases were followed up with telephone or outpatient visit for 24 months.


RESULTS
Incidence of syncope was significantly higher in the high frequency group and in the low frequency group [40.6% (26/64) vs. 11.6% (11/95), P < 0.01]. The overall improvement rate was significantly higher in the low frequency group than that of high frequency group (P < 0.01). Improvement rate was significantly higher in the physical therapy subgroup and the comprehensive treatment subgroup than no treatment subgroup for patients with low attack frequency [81.8% (27/33) vs. 47.1% (8/17), P < 0.05; 82.2% (37/45) vs. 47.1% (8/17), P < 0.05], and in comprehensive treatment subgroup than in physical therapy subgroups observed between and [62.2% (28/45) vs. 31.6% (6/19), P < 0.05] for patients with high attack frequency.


CONCLUSIONS
Outcome is related to previous attack frequency for patients with VVS, physical therapy is effective for reducing the recurrence rate of syncope in VVS patients with low attack frequency while physical therapy combined with pharmacotherapy should be applied for VVS patients with high attack frequency to improve outcome.
Geriatric Department of General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command of People's Liberation Army, Guangzhou 510010, China.
Dan-tong
DT
Shen
Zhong-qiu
ZQ
Lin
Zhi-quan
ZQ
Xie
Yu-yu
YY
Zhan
Yong
Y
Luo
Yi-xin
YX
Zhong
Zhi-liang
ZL
Li
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011379:Prognosis; D019462:Syncope, Vasovagal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult