The tilt-table test in assessing syncope of unknown origin: do differences exist between children and adults?

• Published in: Revista española de cardiologia Vol. 52; no. 3; pp. 189 - 195
• Main Authors: Tercedor, L, Díaz, J F, Aguado, M J, Moreno, E, Molina, E, Alvarez, M, Ramírez, J A, Pérez de la Cruz, J M, Azpitarte, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Spain 01.03.1999
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aging - physiology; Chi-Square Distribution; Child; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Sensitivity and Specificity; Syncope - diagnosis; Syncope - etiology; Syncope - physiopathology; Tilt-Table Test - methods; Tilt-Table Test - statistics & numerical data
• ISSN: 0300-8932

Little is known about the differences between children and adults in the results of head-up tilt test. This study sought to investigate the potential differences concerning: a) the clinical profile and circumstances of spontaneous syncope; b) the overall diagnostic performance of the test, and c) the type of positive response obtained. We studied 31 children and 123 adults with unexplained syncope. If baseline test (tilting at 70 degrees for 30 min) resulted negative, it was repeated under isoprenaline low-dose infusion. There were no differences in either clinical profile, except for severe traumatism more frequent in adults (25% vs. 3% in children; p < 0.05), or overall diagnostic performance (39% in children vs. 33% in adults; p = NS). However, the way the test rendered positive (via basal tilting in 92% of children vs. 50% in adults; p < 0.05) and the rate of cardioinhibitory response (42% in children vs 8% in adults; p < 0.01) were significantly different. In this study children, in contrast to adults, rarely have a positive response in tilting under isoprenaline infusion. They also present a much higher rate of cardio-inhibitory response than adults.