Syncope prevalence in the ED compared to general practice and population: a strong selection process

Olde Nordkamp, Louise R.A.; van Dijk, Nynke; Ganzeboom, Karin S.; Reitsma, Johannes B.; Luitse, Jan S.K.; Dekker, Lukas R.C.; Shen, Win-Kuang; Wieling, Wouter

doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2008.02.022

« Previous Next »American Journal of Emergency Medicine
Volume 27, Issue 3 , Pages 271-279, March 2009

Syncope prevalence in the ED compared to general practice and population: a strong selection process☆

Louise R.A. Olde Nordkamp, MSc
- Department of Internal Medicine, Academic Medical Centre, 1100 DE Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Nynke van Dijk, MD, PhD
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Centre, 1100 DE Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +31 20 5668975; fax: +31 20 6912683.
Karin S. Ganzeboom, MD
- Department of Internal Medicine, Academic Medical Centre, 1100 DE Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Johannes B. Reitsma, MD, PhD
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Centre, 1100 DE Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Jan S.K. Luitse, MD, PhD
- Emergency Department, Academic Medical Centre, 1100 DE Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Lukas R.C. Dekker, MD, PhD
- Department of Cardiology, Academic Medical Centre, 1100 DE Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Win-Kuang Shen, MD, PhD
- Division of Cardiovascular Diseases and Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
Wouter Wieling, MD, PhD
- Department of Internal Medicine, Academic Medical Centre, 1100 DE Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Received 17 January 2008; received in revised form 12 February 2008; accepted 14 February 2008.

Abstract

Objective

We assessed the prevalence and distribution of the different causes of transient loss of consciousness (TLOC) in the emergency department (ED) and chest pain unit (CPU) and estimated the proportion of persons with syncope in the general population who seek medical attention from either their general practitioner or the ED/CPU.

Methods

A review of the charts of consecutive patients presenting with TLOC at the ED/CPU of our university hospital between 2000 and 2002 was conducted. Patients younger than 12 years or with a known epileptic disorder were excluded. Age and sex of syncopal patients were compared with those in a general practice and general population data sets.

Main Findings and Conclusions

During the study period, 0.94% of the patients visiting the ED/CPU presented with TLOC (n = 672), of which half had syncope. Only a small but probably selected group of all people with syncope visit the ED/CPU.