Benefits of additional cardiologic examination in patients admitted for differential diagnosis to the Epilepsy Center Bethel.

Additional cardiologic examination for syncope is used for patients admitted for diagnostic reasons in the Epilepsy Center Bethel if, after epileptologic examination, the etiology of seizures remains uncertain and a cardiologic etiology is suspected. Therefore, we retrospectively analyzed all patient data from the diagnostic department between 02/2011 and 07/2015 to evaluate the benefits to patients of additional cardiologic examination for syncope. 78 out of 1567 patients underwent additional cardiologic examination for syncope. Syncope was confirmed in 50 cases (25 neurocardiogenic, 4 orthostatic hypotension, 6 rhythmogenic, 2 others, 13 unknown). The previous diagnosis of epilepsy made before admission to the Epilepsy Center Bethel was rejected in 25 out of 30 cases. Loop recorders were implanted in 26 patients. In 8 out of 26 cases the loop recorder helped to provide a definite diagnosis of a cardiac arrhythmia (n = 6) or to rule out a cardiac cause (n = 2). In conclusion, patients benefit from a close cooperation between epileptology and cardiology.