Table 1. Baseline characteristics of the study populationa, b.
| Syncope (n = 125,763) | No syncope (n = 125,763) | |
|---|---|---|
| Age, median [IQR], years | 65 [46–78] | 65 [46–78] |
| Age groups, years | ||
| 18–49 | 35,213 (28.0) | 35,213 (28.0) |
| 50–64 | 26,292 (20.9) | 26,292 (20.9) |
| 65–79 | 36,153 (28.7) | 36,153 (28.7) |
| ≥80 | 28,105 (22.3) | 28,105 (22.3) |
| Women | 65,608 (52.2) | 65,608 (52.2) |
| Men | 60,155 (47.8) | 60,155 (47.8) |
| Income groupc, quartiles | ||
| <First quartile | 24,933 (19.8) | 25,372 (20.2) |
| First to third quartile | 78,049 (62.1) | 72,867 (57.9) |
| >Third quartile | 22,781 (18.1) | 27,524 (21.9) |
| Comorbidity | ||
| Cardiovascular disease | 40,659 (32.3) | 20,031 (15.9) |
| Ischemic heart disease or MI | 20,093 (16.0) | 9428 (7.5) |
| Heart failure | 9053 (7.2) | 4033 (3.2) |
| Cardiac arrhythmia | 15,673 (12.5) | 6679 (5.3) |
| Atrial fibrillation | 11,688 (9.3) | 5339 (4.2) |
| AV block or LBBB | 2576 (2.0) | 691 (0.5) |
| Cerebral vascular disease | 12,875 (10.2) | 5755 (4.6) |
| Pacemaker | 3700 (2.9) | 937 (0.7) |
| Diabetes mellitus | 10,500 (8.3) | 7123 (5.7) |
| Cancer | 10,378 (8.3) | 7953 (6.3) |
| Depression | 22,415 (17.8) | 12,806 (10.2) |
| Parkinson disease | 2760 (2.2) | 1499 (1.2) |
| Dementia | 3981 (3.2) | 2097 (1.7) |
| Osteoporosis | 5892 (4.7) | 4779 (3.8) |
| Pharmacotherapy | ||
| Antihypertensive drugs | 37,865 (30.1) | 25,480 (20.3) |
| Loop diuretic drugs | 17,910 (14.2) | 11,330 (9.0) |
| Anxiolytic drugs | 27,041 (21.5) | 18,332 (14.6) |
| Fall-injury in past 12 m | 7912 (6.3) | 3774 (3.0) |
| Syncope inpatient admission | 68,671 (54.6) | NA |
| Syncope ED visit | 57,092 (45.4) | NA |
| Syncope and injuryd | 4601 (3.7) | NA |
| Year of inclusion | ||
| 1997–2000 | 29,776 (23.7) | 29,776 (23.7) |
| 2001–2004 | 32,640 (26.0) | 32,640 (26.0) |
| 2005–2008 | 31,171 (24.8) | 31,171 (24.8) |
| 2009–2012 | 32,176 (25.6) | 32,176 (25.6) |
Abbreviations: IQR (interquartile range), MI (myocardial infarction), LBBB (left bundle branch block), ED (emergency department), NA (not applicable)
aData are expressed as no. (%) unless otherwise indicated
bP values were <0.001 (except for age and sex)
cAverage five-year household income prior to inclusion
dDocumented fall-related injury in relation to the syncope episode