The Diagnostic Value of Cardiac Deceleration Capacity in Vasovagal Syncope

Background: Increased parasympathetic activity is thought to play important roles in syncope events of patients with vasovagal syncope (VVS). However, direct measurements of the vagal control are difficult. The novel deceleration capacity (DC) of heart rate measure has been used to characterize the vagal modulation. This study aimed to assess vagal control in patients with VVS and evaluate the diagnostic value of the DC in VVS. Methods: Altogether, 161 consecutive patients with VVS (43±15 years; 62 males) were enrolled. Tilt table test was positive in 101 and negative in 60 patients. Sixty-five healthy subjects were enrolled as controls. DC and heart rate variability in 24-hour ECG, echocardiogram, and biochemical examinations were compared between the syncope and control groups. Results: DC was significantly higher in the syncope group than in the control group (9.6±3.3 versus 6.5±2.0 ms, P <0.001). DC was similarly increased in patients with VVS with a positive and negative tilt table test (9.7±3.5 and 9.4±2.9 ms, P =0.614). In multivariable logistic regression analyses, DC was independently associated with syncope (odds ratio=1.518 [95% CI, 1.301–1.770]; P =0.0001). For the prediction of syncope, the area under curve analysis showed similar values when comparing single DC and combined DC with other risk factors ( P =0.1147). From the receiver operator characteristic curves for syncope discrimination, the optimal cutoff value for the DC was 7.12 ms. Conclusions: DC>7.5 ms may serve as a good tool to monitor cardiac vagal activity and discriminate VVS, particularly in those with negative tilt table test.

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Prolongation of Electrocardiographic T Wave Parameters Recorded during the Head-Up Tilt Table Test as Independent Markers of Syncope Severity in Children

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17186441 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (18) ◽

pp. 6441

Author(s):

Grażyna Markiewicz-Łoskot ◽

Ewelina Kolarczyk ◽

Bogusław Mazurek ◽

Marianna Łoskot ◽

Lesław Szydłowski

Keyword(s):

Vasovagal Syncope ◽

The Other ◽

Control Group ◽

Tilt Table Test ◽

Tilt Table ◽

T Wave ◽

Good Discriminator ◽

Wave Morphology ◽

Head Up Tilt ◽

T Waves

The head-up tilt table test (HUTT) with the upright phase is used to help determine an imbalance of the sympathetic nervous system that is related to abnormal electrocardiographic repolarization in children with vasovagal syncope (VVS) and also in patients with the long QT syndrome (LQTS). The study attempted to evaluate T wave morphology and QT and TpTe (Tpeak–Tend) intervals recorded in ECG during the HUTT for a more accurate diagnosis of children with VVS. The group investigated 70 children with a negative HUTT result: 40 patients with VVS and 30 healthy volunteers without syncope. The RR interval as well as TpTe, and QTc intervals were measured in lead V5 of electrocardiogram (ECG) on admission to the hospital and during three phases of the HUTT. In syncopal children, which included 23 children with bifid or flat T waves and 17 patients with normal T waves in the upright phase, the QTc and TpTe were longer (p < 0.001) compared to the other test phases and longer (p < 0.001) than in the control group, respectively, with the risk of arrhythmias. Only in the control group, the TpTe was shorter (p < 0.001) in the upright phase than in the other tilt phases. The TpTe in the upright phase (>70 ms) was a good discriminator, and was better than the QTc (>427 ms). Prolongation of electrocardiographic TpTe and QT intervals, in addition to the (abnormal T wave morphology recorded during the HUTT, are helpful for identifying VVS children more predisposed to ventricular arrhythmias with a latent risk of LQTS. Further studies are required to assess the value of these repolarization parameters in clinical practice.

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THE HEART RATE DURING TILT IS LOWER IN PATIENTS WITH VASOVAGAL SYNCOPE AND POSITIVE TILT TABLE TEST WHEN COMPARED TO PATIENTS WITH VASOVAGAL SYNCOPE AND NEGATIVE TILT TABLE TEST WITH NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE THE BAROREFLEX

Journal of the American College of Cardiology ◽

10.1016/s0735-1097(16)30876-2 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 67 (13) ◽

pp. 875

Author(s):

Ashish Chaddha ◽

Kevin E. Wenzke ◽

Stephen Wasmund ◽

Richard Page ◽

Mohamed Hamdan

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Vasovagal Syncope ◽

Tilt Table Test ◽

Tilt Table ◽

Significant Change

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The Differences in the Diagnostic Profile in Children with Vasovagal Syncope between the Result of Head-Up Tilt Table Test

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17124524 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (12) ◽

pp. 4524

Author(s):

Ewelina Kolarczyk ◽

Lesław Szydłowski ◽

Agnieszka Skierska ◽

Grażyna Markiewicz-Łoskot

Keyword(s):

Medical Records ◽

Vasovagal Syncope ◽

Speech Disorders ◽

Tilt Table Test ◽

Tilt Table ◽

Prodromal Symptoms ◽

Close Relationship ◽

Head Up Tilt ◽

Diagnostic Profile ◽

Positive Results

(1) Background: The features characterizing vasovagal syncope (VVS) are an important factor in the correct evaluation of diagnostic risk stratification in children and adolescents. The aim of the study was to determine the value of identifying the clinical characteristics in children with VVS. (2) Methods: We made a retrospective analysis of the medical records of 109 children with diagnosed VVS. We investigated the specific characteristics of syncope in children with VVS including the positive VVS (+) and negative VVS (−) result of the Head-Up Tilt Table Test (HUTT). (3) Results: We did not observe significant differences in the prodromal symptoms of VVS with HUTT response. In addition to typical prodromal symptoms, no difference in statistically reported palpitations (35/109 or 32.1%) and chest discomfort (27/109 or 27.7%) were recorded. Fear–pain–stress emotions as circumstances of syncope were more often reported by children with a negative HUTT (p = 0.02). Cramps–contractures (p = 0.016) and speech disorders (p = 0.038) were significantly higher in the group with negative HUTT. (4) Conclusions: There is a close relationship in the diagnostic profile between the negative and positive results of head-up tilt table test in children with vasovagal syncope.

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Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome in primary care: diagnosis, treatment and a case of African-American man presenting with POTS

BMJ Case Reports ◽

10.1136/bcr-2019-229824 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (9) ◽

pp. e229824

Author(s):

Andrew T Del Pozzi ◽

Michael Enechukwu ◽

Svetlana Blitshteyn

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Differential Diagnosis ◽

African American ◽

Clinical Features ◽

Orthostatic Intolerance ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome ◽

Tilt Table Test ◽

Tilt Table ◽

Caucasian Women

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a heterogeneous autonomic disorder characterised by orthostatic intolerance and a rise in heart rate by at least 30 bpm or an absolute heart rate value of at least 120 bpm within 10 min of standing or during a tilt table test. Overwhelmingly, POTS affects young Caucasian women, which can lead physicians to miss the diagnosis in men or non-white patients. We describe a case of 29-year-old African-American man who developed lightheadedness, generalised weakness, tachycardia and palpitations and was subsequently diagnosed with POTS. We review its clinical features, differential diagnosis, pathophysiology and treatment options. We also emphasise that POTS should be considered as a differential diagnosis in any patient presenting with typical clinical features, who may not be in the usual demographics of the disorder.

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P-260 A negative tilt-table test can be predicted by measuring early heart rate changes during the first 10 minutes of the test in patients with a history of syncope

EP Europace ◽

10.1016/eupace/4.supplement_2.b127-b ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. B127-B127

Author(s):

M.R. Movahed ◽

M. Ahmadi-Kashani

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Tilt Table Test ◽

Tilt Table ◽

History Of

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Cardiorespiratory Regulation in Migraine. Results in Children and Adolescents and Review of the Literature

Cephalalgia ◽

10.1111/j.1468-2982.2005.01039.x ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 295-309 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

F Ebinger ◽

M Kruse ◽

U Just ◽

D Rating

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Learned Helplessness ◽

Valsalva Manoeuvre ◽

Tilt Table Test ◽

Review Of The Literature ◽

Tilt Table ◽

Passive Coping ◽

Cardiorespiratory Function ◽

Autonomic Tests

To investigate autonomic regulation in juvenile migraine we studied 70 children and adolescents with migraine during the headache-free period and 81 healthy controls by cardiorespiratory function tests. Heart rate variability was analysed with time and frequency domain indices during spontaneous breathing at rest and during metronomic breathing. Changes of heart rate and blood pressure were studied during tilt-table test, active standing, Valsalva manoeuvre and sustained handgrip. We found significant differences in metronomic breathing, tilt-table test and Valsalva manoeuvre. We interpret our findings and results reported in the literature as pointing to a restricted ability of the system to rest, which supports therapies intending to further this ability. In autonomic tests, hyperreactivity in juvenile migraineurs changes to hyporeactivity and passive coping in adults. This might be explained by disturbances of raphe nuclei and the periaqueductal grey. It corresponds to psychological findings in juvenile migraineurs reporting hypersensitivity and repressed aggression and claiming learned helplessness.

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