External validation of the Canadian Syncope Risk Score for patients presenting with undifferentiated syncope to the emergency department

No Thumbnail Available
File version
Author(s)
Chan, Jason
Ballard, Emma
Brain, David
Hocking, Julia
Yan, Alan
Morel, Douglas
Hunter, Jonathan
Griffith University Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Other Supervisors
Editor(s)
Date
2020
Size
File type(s)
Location
License
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To validate the accuracy and safety of the Canadian Syncope Risk Score (CSRS) for patients presenting with syncope. METHODS: Single centre prospective observational study in Brisbane, Australia. Adults presenting to the ED with syncope within the last 24 h were recruited after applying exclusion criteria. Study was conducted over 1 year, from March 2018 to March 2019. Thirty-day serious adverse events (SAE) were reported based on the original derivation study and standardised outcome reporting for syncope. Individual patient CSRS was calculated and correlated with 30-day SAE and disposition status from ED. RESULTS: Two hundred and eighty-three patients were recruited to the study. Average age was 55.6 years (SD 22.7 years), 37.1% being male with a 39.9% admission rate. Thirty-day SAE occurred in seven patients (2.5%) and no recorded deaths. The CSRS performed with a sensitivity of 71.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 30.3-94.9%), specificity 72.8% (95% CI 67.1-77.9%) for a threshold score of 1 or higher. CONCLUSION: Syncope patients in our study were predominantly very low to low risk (72%). The prevalence of 30-day SAE was low, majority occurring following hospital discharge. Sensitivity estimates for CSRS was lower than the derivation study but lacked robustness with wide CIs because of a small sample size and number of events observed. However, the CSRS did not miss any clinically relevant outcomes in low risk patients making it potentially useful in aiding their disposition. Larger validation studies in Australia are encouraged to further test the diagnostic accuracy of the CSRS.

Journal Title

Emergency Medicine Australasia

Conference Title
Book Title
Edition
Volume
Issue
Thesis Type
Degree Program
School
Publisher link
Patent number
Funder(s)
Grant identifier(s)
Rights Statement
Rights Statement
Item Access Status
Note

This publication has been entered in Griffith Research Online as an advanced online version.

Access the data
Related item(s)
Subject

Clinical sciences

Health services and systems

Public health

clinical decision rule

emergency department

risk stratification

syncope

validation

Persistent link to this record
Citation

Chan, J; Ballard, E; Brain, D; Hocking, J; Yan, A; Morel, D; Hunter, J, External validation of the Canadian Syncope Risk Score for patients presenting with undifferentiated syncope to the emergency department, Emergency Medicine Australasia, 2020

Collections