Niedawno przebyte omdlenia u pacjentów z istotnym zwężeniem tętnic szyjnych

Introduction. Syncope is a transient loss of consciousness due to a decrease in cerebral perfusion. The aim of the study is to evaluate the incidence of syncope within 2 years before the finding of significant carotid stenosis and to seek the relationship between syncope occurrence and clinical and ECG parameters. Material and methods. The study group consisted of 78 patients (31 women and 47 men aged 65.4 ± 7.7 years) admitted to the Department of Vascular Surgery in order to perform the surgery because of significant carotid stenosis. The studied patients were interviewed for syncopal history and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, a 12-lead resting electrocardiogram was performed. Results. In the study group 20 (25.6%) patients reported at least one faint, 7 (9%) patients reported a faint in the past 2 years. The subgroups distinguished in the basis of syncopal history in the past 2 years did not differ significantly in terms of the assessed demographic and clinical parameters. In the group of patients with syncope in the past 2 years, there was significantly more patients with QRS ≥ 120 ms than the other patients. Logistic regression analysis showed that the only parameter associated with syncope in the past 2 years has been QRS width ≥ 120 ms odds ratio (OR): 18.9; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.4–147.4 (p = 0.005). Conclusions. 1. Syncope during the past 2 years occurs in almost 10% of patients qualified for carotid artery surgery. 2. The parameter associated with syncope in the past two years is widened QRS complex indicating a cardiac cause of syncope. 3. Gathering information about recent loss of consciousness in patients qualified for vascular surgery on the carotid arteries can have important implications for the planning further cardiological diagnostics.