Sleep syncope: a prospective cohort study

Purpose Sleep syncope is defined as a form of vasovagal syncope which interrupts sleep. Long term follow-up has not been reported. Methods Between 1999 and 2013 we diagnosed vasovagal syncope in 1105 patients of whom 69 also had sleep syncope. We compared these 69 patients in the sleep syncope group to 118 patients with classical vasovagal syncope consecutively investigated between 1999 and 2003. We compared baseline demography, syncope history, tilt test results and follow-up findings. Results At baseline, age and gender distribution (mean ± standard deviation) of the classical VVS and sleep synocope groups were similar: 46 ± 21 vs. 47 ± 15 years ( p = 0.53), and 55% versus 66% female ( p = 0.28), respectively. Abdominal discomfort and vagotonia were more frequent in sleep syncope patients: 80% versus 8% and 33% versus 2% ( p