Résumé
Syncope is a clinical symptom for many kinds of diseases.The reasons for some syncope are still not clear even after a comprehensive and systematic examination,known as unexplained syncope.The clinical data of one patient with recurrent syncope,who had received the implanted loop recorder (ILR) in Xiangya Hospital,Central South University,were retrospectively analyzed.The instrument recorded the first syncope at a time of recurrence for the sustained ventricular tachycardia in 704 days after ILR.The patient was thus diagnosed as arrhythmic syncope and received an operation with implantable cardioverter defibrillator.The ILR is a new type of examination device for patients suffering from syncope with suspected cardiac rhythm due to its long monitoring time,low infection rate and high safety.It possesses high clinical value in the diagnosis of patients with arrhythmic syncope.
Résumé
PURPOSE: The mechanisms underlying syncope remain unknown in about 20% of patients with recurrent syncope. The implantable loop recorder (ILR) has been shown to be a useful diagnostic tool in patients with unexplained syncope even after negative initial evaluations. Nevertheless, ILR has rarely been used in clinical practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 18 consecutive patients who had an ILR implanted at our center because of recurrent unexplained syncope after extensive diagnostic tests between February 2006 and June 2011. RESULTS: Diagnosis was confirmed in 10 (55.6%) of the 18 enrolled patients (13 males, 61+/-15 years). The confirmed diagnoses included sick sinus syndrome (n=6, 60%), advanced atrioventricular block (n=2, 20%) and ventricular tachyarrhythmia (n=2, 20%). The mean follow-up durations of the total study subjects and the diagnosed patients were 11.3+/-10.6 months and 5.6+/-9.2 months, respectively. Of the 10 diagnosed patients, 8 (80%) were diagnosed within 6 months of loop recorder implantation. CONCLUSION: ILR may be a valuable and effective diagnostic tool for patients with unexplained syncope.