HEAD-UP TILT TEST IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF SYNCOPE - AN EVALUATION IN 24 PATIENTS

Sudden hypotension, alone or combined with bradycardia is a major cause of syncope. 24 consecutive patients with a history of > 1 syncope of unknown aetiology were exposed to vagal provocation by the head-up tilt test. The clinical symptoms were reproduced in 11 patients under the given protocol, representing a sensitivity of 46%. The patients were followed up for 13.2 +/- 5.3 months. 7 of the 11 patients (64%) with a positive result on tilting versus 2 of the 13 patients (15%) with a negative result had a relapse of syncope. There was no statistical difference between the groups with regard to the number of syncopial episodes before patients were included in the study. Syncope in the head-up tilt test is, thus, a pointer towards identifying with a higher incidence of syncope on follow-up.