Syncope in Childhood: A Case Control Clinical Study of the Familial Tendency to Faint

Abstract

We investigated the possibility of an inherited tendency to faint by studying 30 consecutively referred well children with vasodepressor or vasovagal syncope. The family history of each patient was reviewed for syncope and for 24 cases was compared with the family history of the child's best friend. None of the best friends had syncope. 27/30 cases and 8/24 best friends had at least one first degree relative with syncope (p < 0.01). Of the 8 best friend controls with a parent or sibling with syncope, the mother was affected in 7; 4/7 of these mothers had first degree relative(s) with syncope. In 11/30 patients both a sibling and parent had syncope compared with 1/24 of control families (p