Table 2 Patient characteristics, clinical features and diagnostic tests in the usual care and the syncope guidelines groups

Age, years (mean, SD)

63 ± 17

64 ± 16

0.44

None

 18–35 years

24 (8.7%)

15 (6.1%)

 36–50 years

35 (13%)

32 (13%)

 51–74 years

139 (51%)

129 (52%)

 > 75 years

77 (28%)

70 (29%)

Sex

0.68

None

 Male

157 (57%)

136 (55%)

 Female

118 (43%)

110 (45%)

Centre

0.23

None

 Leiden

40 (15%)

50 (20%)

 Utrecht

56 (20%)

55 (22%)

 Arnhem

48 (18%)

39 (16%)

 Rotterdam

61 (22%)

56 (23%)

 Apeldoorn

70 (26%)

46 (19%)

Diagnosis according to the reference standard

0.19

None

 Syncope due to reflex syncope or OH

198 (72%)

193 (79%)

 Cardiac syncope

26 (9.5%)

25 (10%)

 Epileptic seizure

9 (3.3%)

5 (2.0%)

 Psychogenic TLOC

5 (1.8)

1 (0.4%)

 Unknown aetiology

37 (14%)

22 (8.9%)

Time of ED visit

0.36

None

 12 am–6 am

21 (7.6%)

26 (11%)

 6 am–12 pm

88 (32%)

65 (26%)

 12 pm–6 pm

111 (40%)

99 (40%)

 6 pm–12 am

54 (20%)

56 (23%)

Referral pathway

0.90

None

 Self-referral

15 (5.5%)

10 (4.1%)

 GP referral

53 (19%)

50 (20%)

 Ambulance

183 (67%)

164 (67%)

 Not documented

24 (8.7%)

22 (8.9%)

Manchester Scale Triage code

0.44

None

 Red

–

1 (0.4%)

 Orange

20 (7.3%)

16 (6.5%)

 Yellow

165 (60%)

152(62%)

 Green

47 (17%)

31(13%)

 Unknown

43 (16%)

46 (19%)

Family history of sudden cardiac death (< 60 years)

0.25

None

 Presence or absence mentioned

38 (14%)

43 (17%)

 Presence or absence not mentioned

237 (86%)

203 (83%)

Posture prior to TLOC

0.88

None

 Mentioned

238 (87%)

214 (87%)

 Not mentioned

37 (14%)

32 (13%)

Confusion afterwards

0.16

None

 Presence or absence mentioned

200 (73%)

192 (78%)

 Presence or absence not mentioned

75 (27%)

54 (22%)

Tongue bite

0.45

None

 Presence or absence mentioned

200 (73%)

186 (76%)

 Presence or absence not mentioned

75 (27%)

60 (24%)

Prodromes

1.00

None

 Presence or absence mentioned

275 (100%)

246 (100%)

 Presence or absence not mentioned

–

–

Circumstances related to TLOC

0.41

None

 Mentioned

257 (94%)

234 (95%)

 Not mentioned

18 (6.5%)

12 (4.9%)

ECG in the ED

0.20

None

 Recorded

254 (92%)

234 (95%)

 Not recorded

21 (7.6%)

12 (4.9%)

Holter ECG

 Recorded

28 (10%)

23 (9.3%)

0.75

 Not recorded

247 (90%)

223 (91%)

OH screening (standing test) in the ED

< 0.01

None

 Performed

45 (16%)

64 (26%)

 Not performed

230 (84%)

182 (74%)

No. of consultations in the ED

0.30

None

 One

131 (48%)

121 (50%)

 Two

101 (37%)

74 (30%)

 Three

34 (12%)

40 (16%)

 Four

9 (3.3%)

11 (4.5%)

Hospital admission following ED visit

146 (53%)

106 (43%)

0.02

None

 With telemetry

110 (40%)

87 (35%)

 Without telemetry

36 (13%)

19 (7.7%)

Hospital admissions following ED visit among those with exclusively low-risk criteria

 Yes

84 (43.1%)

66 (34%)

0.07

None

 No

111 (57%)

127 (66%)

Syncope unit referral

–

37 (15%)

Not performed

None

Tilt testing

5 (1.8%)

17 (6.9%)

< 0.01

None

Implantation loop recorder

10 (3.6%)

13 (5.3%)

0.36

None

QALY for the study period (EQ5D)

0.81

0.79

0.50

UC 104 (37%)

SG 113 (46%)