Predictors of vasovagal syncope recurrence in children and adolescents and value of head-up tilt table test

Abstract

The aim of the study was to define predictors of syncope recurrence in children and adolescents with vasovagal syncope and to determine the value of tilt test. A retrospective observational study performed of prospective cohort of 150 patients aged between 8-18 years who were referred to our clinic because of fainting or who underwent tilt test with the pre-diagnosis of vasovagal syncope. The progress updated by telephone or face-to-face interview. Unpaired t-test, Mann-Whitney U test used for normal and non-normal distributed variables. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of recurrence. Tilt test was positive in 97 and negative in 53 patients. Forty-eight patients had mixed, 34 had vasodepressor and 15 had cardioinhibitory type syncope. Recurrence found significantly higher in patients who had syncope in the first 20 minutes of the test (p=0.012). The number of the episodes decreased after the test; 3.86±4.75 vs 0.73±0.44, p<0.001). The recurrence was higher in patients who had more than 4 episodes. The recurrence was similar between positive and negative tilt groups. Age of syncope (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.002, p=0.027) positive family history (OR 4.47, 95% CI 1.071-1.389, p=0.001) and the number of previous syncopal episodes (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.882-10.623, p=0.003) were identified as risk factors for recurrence of vasovagal syncope. Age of syncope, positive family history and the number of previous syncopes are the predictors of recurrence of vasovagal syncope in children and adolescents. The number of recurrent episodes decreased after the test independently from Head-up tilt test results.