Introduction:

Syncope is a complex symptom to assess, and is a diagnostic challenge. The inadequate risk stratification can lead to the inappropriate use of health resources and to an increase in the costs arising from the care.

Objective:

To compare the outcomes at one year in patients with high and low risk syncope in four Bogota hospitals.

Material and method:

A retrospective cohort study was conducted that included patients over 18 years-old that were seen in the Emergency Department due to a syncope. They were followed-up from February 2013 until July 2015. They were classified into low and high risk according to the score on the scale of Martin et al. At one year, a telephone call follow-up was made to assess the outcomes.

Results:

The high risk patients had higher rates of mortality and recurrence of syncope, required more hospital admissions, had more neurological events, and a greater need for cardiac intervention. The overall mortality was 6%, and in sub-group of patients with a higher score (4 points) it increased to 16.6%. The majority of events occurred in the first 6 months of follow-up. The mortality and the need for cardiovascular intervention were associated with the increase in the score on the scale.

Conclusion:

Patients classified as high risk according to the scale of Martin et al. are more likely to have adverse outcomes at one year of follow-up, and thus could benefit from a larger study and directed at the cause of the syncope.

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