In:
Clinical Science, Portland Press Ltd., Vol. 109, No. 2 ( 2005-08-01), p. 165-170
Abstract:
In the present study, we studied whether analysis of the FAP (finger arterial pressure) waveform during supine rest discriminates subjects with recurrent VVS (vasovagal syncope) from healthy controls. Signal-averaged FAP waveforms (Finapres) were obtained in 32 head-up tilt-test-positive subjects with recurrent VVS (35±13 years) and in 32 sex- and age-matched healthy controls. The DT (time delay) between the systolic and diastolic peaks of the FAP waveform was measured and large artery SI (stiffness index) was calculated as a ratio of body height and DT. VVS patients had significantly shorter DT compared with controls (303±31 compared with 329±18 ms; P & lt;0.001) and higher SI (5.79±0.70 compared with 5.20±0.36 m/s; P & lt;0.001). The differences were independent of heart rate and blood pressure. SI & gt;5.45 m/s identified subjects with syncope with a sensitivity of 72% and a specificity of 84%. Age-corrected DT (cDT=DT+age−350) identified subjects with syncope with a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 84%. Combined use of cDT & lt;0 ms and SI & gt;5.45 m/s increased sensitivity and specificity to 81% and 96% respectively. The discriminative power of FAP descriptors improved further when younger subjects were excluded. In subjects aged & gt;30 years (median age), the combination of cDT and SI identified subjects with syncope with a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 100%. These results suggest that FAP descriptors during supine rest might be useful in the diagnosis of VVS in middle-aged subjects.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0143-5221
,
1470-8736
Language:
English
Publisher:
Portland Press Ltd.
Publication Date:
2005
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