Mechanisms of cough syncope as evaluated by valsalva maneuver

Successful treatment of cough syncope depends on the correction of various pathogenetic mechanisms among different patients. The valsalva maneuver (VM), which elicits hemodynamic responses mimicking coughs, has potential for investigating the individual pathogenesis of cough syncope. Eighteen consecutive patients suffering from cough-induced syncope were examined. All patients were asked to cough and to perform VM several times under continuous cerebral blood-flow velocity and blood pressure (BP) monitoring by transcranial Doppler and finger plethysmography. Eight patients demonstrated abnormal VM characterized by the absent BP overshoot following the relief of straining. Patients demonstrating abnormal VM had delayed BP recovery after cough (median, 16.4; range, 8.7-25.6 seconds) compared to those demonstrating normal VM (2.6, 1.3-3.8 seconds, p < 0.001). Seven of the 10 patients exhibiting normal BP overshoot during VM had stenotic arterial lesions in the cerebral or coronary circulation, whereas only one of the eight patients demonstrating absent BP overshoot had coronary artery disease (70% vs. 12.5%, p = 0.025). Other clinical profiles, body mass index, frequency of obstructive pulmonary disease and valsalva ratio did not differ between patients featuring normal and absent BP overshoot. In conclusion, the pathogenesis of cough syncope could be different between patients with normal and abnormal VM responses. Patients who had no BP overshoot during VM sustained prolonged hypotension after cough. The VM helps in discriminating among pathogenic mechanisms and guiding investigation and treatment for cough syncope patients.