Identification of dizzy patients who will develop an acute cerebrovascular syndrome: a descriptive study among emergency department patients.
PURPOSE
To calculate the incidence of subsequent acute cerebrovascular syndrome in emergency department patients with vertigo or dizziness symptoms and to determine predictors of subsequent acute cerebrovascular syndrome in these patients.


METHODS
Descriptive and retrospective hospital based-population study among emergency department patients with vertigo or dizziness symptoms in 1 year. One year follow-up since the medical visit was performed. Chi-square and Fisher tests were used for qualitative variables; Mann-Whitney U test for quantitative variables. A multivariate model was created.


RESULTS
1243 dizzy patients who visited emergency department during 2015 were identified, finally 928 were included. 12 acute cerebrovascular syndromes were identified; 8 strokes and 4 transient ischemic attacks. Percentages over the sample size: 1.29% for acute cerebrovascular syndromes, 0.43% for transient ischemic attack and 0.86% for stroke. Odds ratio values to develop an event over the general population were 7.24 for acute cerebrovascular syndrome, 95% CI (3.98-13.12); 14.9 for transient ischemic attack, 95% CI (4.8-40.9) and 5.86 for stroke, 95% CI (2.72-12.0). Atrial fibrillation and diabetes mellitus were identified as significant risk factors to develop an acute cerebrovascular syndrome.


CONCLUSION
Emergency department patients with symptoms of vertigo or dizziness had sevenfold higher risk of acute cerebrovascular syndromes than the general population. Atrial fibrillation and diabetes mellitus are risk factors associated with high risk of acute cerebrovascular syndromes in these patients.
['Mármol-Szombathy|I|I|http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4891-0751', 'Domínguez-Durán|E|E|http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0088-5817', 'Calero-Ramos|L|L|', 'Sánchez-Gómez|S|S|']
D000208:Acute Disease D000293:Adolescent D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders D002648:Child D002675:Child, Preschool D004244:Dizziness D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital D005260:Female D006801:Humans D015994:Incidence D007223:Infant D007231:Infant, Newborn D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D016017:Odds Ratio D012189:Retrospective Studies D012307:Risk Factors D013577:Syndrome D014717:Vertigo D055815:Young Adult
Dizziness Acute cerebrovascular syndrome Emergency Department Vertigo Stroke Transient ischemic attack Cardiovascular risk factors