Objective: To explore the effect of age and gender on head-up tilt test (HUTT) for diagnosing the patients with suspected vasovagal syncope (VVS).
Methods: A total of 1223 patients who received HUTT in our hospital from 2008-08 to 2012-12 were studied. The patients were from 7 to 79 years of age and divided into 4 groups. Group 1, the patients≤20 years of age, n=145, Group 2, the patients at (21-40) years, n=375, Group 3, the patients at (41-60) years, n=584 and Group 4, the patients>60 years, n=119. The HUTT comprised a 30 min basic phase and 20 min sublingual nitroglycerin provocation phase. According to ECG and blood pressure changes, the HUTT positive patients included vasodepressor type, cardio-inhibitory type and mixed type.
Results: The overall positive rate of HUTT was 51%(624/1223) and the female was higher than male, (60.1%vs 39.9%), P=0.001. The positive rates in 4 age groups were at 68.3%, 49.1%, 48.6% and 47.9% respectively. In HUTT positive patients, there were 51.4% (321/624) patients with mixed type of VVS, 28.7% (179/624) with vasodepressor type of VVS and 19.9% (124/624) with cardio-inhibitory type of VVS. The positive HUTT reaction was inlfuenced by the age as in male:x2=15.65, P=0.016 and in female:x2=18.84, P=0.004. For basic phase of HUTT, there were 74.8%of positive reactions started at 22.5 (17.5-27.5) min of the test without age difference, P>0.05;for sublingual nitroglycerin provocation phase of HUTT, there were 81.9%positive reactions started at 7.5 (5-10) min and the female was earlier than male (7.5 vs 10) min, P=0.004.
Conclusion: There were age and gender differences for HUTT diagnosing the patients with VVS for their positive rate, type and starting time.