Prediction of the Time to Syncope Occurrence in Patients Diagnosed with Vasovagal Syncope.

Objective: In this study we aimed to predict the time to syncope occurrence (TSO) in patients with vasovagal syncope (VVS), solely based on measurements recorded during the supine position of the head-up tilt (HUT) testing protocol.

Methods: We extracted various time and frequency domain features related to morphological aspects of arterial blood pressure (ABP) and the electrocardiogram (ECG) raw signals as well as to dynamic interactions between beat-to-beat ABP, heart rate, and cerebral blood flow velocity. From these we identified the most predictive features related to TSO.

Increasing nondonors' intention to give blood: addressing common barriers.

Background: Recruiting new donors is a challenging experience for most blood collection agencies. A modest proportion of the population is eligible to give blood and few of these individuals volunteer. The goal of this study was to examine the effects of brief behavioral interventions on nondonors' intention to give blood, by addressing some commonly reported obstacles.

Social contagion of vasovagal reactions in the blood collection clinic: a possible example of mass psychogenic illness.

Objective: Observing or hearing about illness in another person can lead to reports of similar symptoms. Reports can occasionally be widespread. However, it has been difficult to document whether this is the result of genuine illness or the expression of anxiety with physical terminology.

Relation between perceived blood loss and vasovagal symptoms in blood donors.

Unlabelled: INTRODUCTION/RESULTS: This study examined whether a belief of significant blood loss may be associated with vasovagal symptoms, irrespective of actual blood loss. Individual differences in vasovagal symptoms among blood donors who had an equivalent amount of blood withdrawn were significantly associated with their rating of perceived blood loss.

Conclusion: The anticipation or belief of blood loss, and perhaps more remotely associated ideas, may trigger processes similar to those induced by actual hemorrhage though further research is required to address other possibilities such as the inflation of ratings by vasovagal symptoms.

Applied tension and blood donation symptoms: the importance of anxiety reduction.

Objective: Despite being a voluntary activity, many blood donors experience anxiety, and fainting (syncope) is not unusual. The muscle-tensing technique applied tension (AT) has been found to be effective in reducing vasovagal symptoms and syncope. A series of studies was developed to investigate the role of AT on anxiety and fainting.