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Syncope or Seizure? The Diagnostic Value of the EEG and Hyperventilation Test in Transient Loss of Consciousness JNNP 54:953-956, Hoefnagels,W.A.J.,et al, 1991 See this aricle in Pubmed Article Abstract In a prospective study of consecutive patients(age 15 or over)with transient loss of consciousness 45 patients had a history of seizure and 74 patients had a history of syncope.All patients had an EEG,ECG, laboratory tests and a hyperventilation test and were followed for an average of 14.5 months.Epileptiform activity in the interictal EEG had a sensitivity of 0.40 and a specificity of 0.95 for the diagnosis of a seizure.Epileptiform activity nearly double the probability of a seizure in doubtful cases.If no epileptiform activity was found,this probability remained substantially the same.The hyperventilation test had a sensitivity of 0.57 and a specificity of 0.84 for the diagnosis of syncope.A positive test increased the probability of syncope half as much in doubtful cases.A negative test did not exclude syncope.Laboratory tests were not helpful except for an ECG which was helpful in elderly patients.

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(click to filter results - removes previous filter) electroencephalogram electroencephalogram,abnormalities of hyperventilation seizure seizure,differential diagnosis of syncope syncope,differential diagnosis of

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