[Syncope: recurrence and prognosis during 2 years]

We followed up 143 patients that had been admitted to intensive care units of a general hospital with syncope. 127 patients (89%) remained in follow up for a mean of 24 months (range 3 to 54 months). There were 70 men and 57 women and the mean age was 71.5 years. Recurrences were observed in 21 patients (17%) and were similar for patients whose syncope had a cardiovascular origin (10%), non cardiovascular origin (25%) or an undetermined cause (18%). Mortality from cardiac or vascular causes was 20% in the cardiovascular origin group, and 5 and 4.2% in the other groups, respectively (p less than 0.005). Recurrence did not influence mortality. A history of hypertension, cerebrovascular accidents and ventricular arrhythmias was associated to higher mortality risk (p less than 0.05).