Etiology and Age Distribution of Syncope in Delta Area Patients

Background: Syncope is a Total Loss of Consciousness (TLOC) due to cerebral hypo-perfusion, characterized by a rapid onset, short duration, and spontaneous complete recovery. It shares many clinical features with other disorders; it therefore presents in many differential diagnoses. This group of disorders is labelled TLOC. The aim of the present study was to determine the etiologies and the age distribution of patients with syncope in Delta area.

Methods: This study included thirty patients who had at least one episode of syncope. All patients in this study were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, laboratory investigations, standard 12-lead Electrocardiogram (ECG), Resting Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE). Some patients were subjected to Prolonged ECG monitoring (Holter, Event, ILR), Brain computed tomography (CT) and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Tilt table test and Electrophysiology study (EP study).

Results: Most common ECG rhythm was normal sinus rhythm, complete heart block, left ventricular hypertrophy, Slow Atrial fibrillation (AF), Left bundle branch block (LBBB), ventricular tachycardia. The most common diagnosis of syncope was vasovagal syncope, idiopathic syncope then cardiac syncope. Incidence of idiopathic syncope in populations under 40 years was significantly higher than in populations over 40 years, meanwhile regarding cardiac-related etiology for syncope in patients under age 40 was significantly lower than those patients over age 40.

Conclusion: For age distribution, the incidence of idiopathic syncope in populations under 40 years was significantly higher than in populations over 40 years, meanwhile cardiac-related etiology for syncope in patients under age 40 was significantly lower than those patients over age 40.