원인 불명의 실신 환자의 진단에 있어서 Head - up tilt Test 의 유용성과 혈관미주신경성 실신 환자의 임상적 특징

• Published in: The Korean journal of medicine Vol. 47; no. 2; pp. 186 - 194
• Main Authors: 윤호중, Ho Joong Youn, 정욱성, Wook Sung Chung, 백상홍, Sang Hong Baek, 김철민, Chul Min Kim, 박인수, In Soo Park, 김재형, Jae Hyung Kim, 최규보, Kyu Bo Choi, 홍순조, Soon Jo Hong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 대한내과학회 01.08.1994
• Subjects: Head - up tilt test; Vasovagal syncope
• ISSN: 1738-9364

Background: Syncope, defined as a transient loss of consciousness, is a frequently encountered symptom, but despite thorough clinical and invasive diagnostic investigation, the cause of syncope remains unexplained. In recent years, head-up tilt test has been of increasing interest as a diagnostic aids in patients with unexplained syncope. We studied to define the usefulness of various diagnostic test in the evaluation of patients with recurrent syncope, to assess the usefulness of head-up tilt test in the working of syncope of unknown origin and to evaluate the clinical characteristics of subgroups of patients with syncope induced by head-up tilt test. Methods: Between June, 1991 and November, 1992 at St. Mary`s hospital, 21 patients with history of syncope and 24 control subjects without history of syncope underwent 60° head-up tild test for 60 min. Results: 1) The definite cause for recurrent syncope were diagnosed in 10 of patients (47,6%) after clinical and invasive tests. 2) During head-up tilt test, vasovagal responses were provoked in 5 of 21 patients (23.8%) with recurrent syncope and 1 of 24 patients (4.2%) without syncope (p<0,05). 3) The head-up tilt test induced symptomatic bradycardia or hypotension in 3 of 10 patients (30%.) with negative electrophysiologic results. 4) During tilt induced vasovagal response, a) mean heart rate decreased to 42±24 beat/min from supine control of 70±12 beat/min (p<0. 05), b) mean systolic blood pressure decreased to 95±12 mmHg from supine control of 120±S mmHg (p<0,05), c) mean diastolic blood pressure decreased to 60±21mmHg from supine control of 72±13 mmHg (p<0.05), d) the time interval to onset of vasovagal response was 22±12 min. Conclusions: 1) In a large proportion of patients with recurrent syncope, the diagnosis remains unexplained despite a neurologic and cardiologic investigation including an electrophysiologic study. 2) Vasovagal responses are frequent cause in patients with recurrent unexplained syncope. 3) The head-up tilt test may be a simple, safe and highly yielding provocative test in the investigation of syncope of unknown origin.