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[Syncope in childhood]
Insights
Pediatric syncope, a transient loss of consciousness, was studied in 63 children. A diagnostic protocol identified causes in 53.8% of cases, with vasovagal syncope being most common.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neurology
- Cardiology
Context:
- Syncope, a sudden transient loss of consciousness, affects children and requires accurate diagnosis.
- Understanding the etiology of pediatric syncope is crucial for appropriate management.
- Previous studies highlight challenges in diagnosing the cause of syncope in pediatric populations.
Purpose:
- To investigate the causes of syncope in pediatric patients admitted to a university hospital.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a standardized diagnostic protocol including ECG, EEG, and 24-hour monitoring.
- To determine the incidence of cardiac, vascular, and non-cardiovascular causes of syncope in children.
Summary:
- A study examined 63 pediatric patients (1 month to 15 years) with syncope using ECG, EEG, and 24-hour monitoring.
- The diagnostic protocol identified the cause in 53.8% of cases: 6.3% cardiac, 38% vascular (vasovagal), and 6.3% non-cardiovascular.
- The etiology remained unidentified in 46% of patients, consistent with other research.
Impact:
- The implemented protocol successfully identified the cause of syncope non-invasively in 25% of patients.
- This study contributes to understanding the prevalence of different syncope types in children.
- Findings support the utility of a systematic approach for diagnosing pediatric syncope.
Abstract:
Syncope may be defined a sudden and transient loss of consciousness due to a reversible alteration of brain function. Three main groups of syncopes can be identified: cardiac, vascular and non-cardiovascular. All the patients (63) admitted to the emergency unit of Pediatric Clinic of the University of Padua from January 83 to July 84 and reporting one or more episodes of loss of consciousness were examined. Their age ranged from 1 month to 15 years. All the patients were investigated with the same study protocol: ECG, EEG, 24 hours ECG monitoring, routine blood examinations; other tests were done when needed. The cause of syncope was established in 53,8% of cases; for 6,3% of patients the cause was cardiac (arrhythmic), in 38% it was vascular (vasovagal syncope), in 6,3% it was non-cardiovascular (neurologic or metabolic). The cause of syncope was not identified in 46% of the patients, which is also in agreement with other studies. However, we were able, through the use of our protocol, to identify quickly and non invasively the etiology of the syncope in 25% of the patients.