The use of external event monitoring (web-loop) in the elucidation of symptoms associated with arrhythmias in a general population

OBJECTIVE To correlate arrhythmic symptoms with the presence of significant arrhythmias through the external event monitoring (web-loop). METHODS Between January and December 2011, the web-loop was connected to 112 patients (46% of them were women, mean age 52±21 years old). Specific arrhythmic symptoms were defined as palpitations, pre-syncope and syncope observed during the monitoring. Supraventricular tachycardia, atrial flutter or fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, pauses greater than 2 seconds or advanced atrioventricular block were classified as significant arrhythmia. The association between symptoms and significant arrhythmias were analyzed. RESULTS The web-loop recorded arrhythmic symptoms in 74 (66%) patients. Of these, in only 14 (19%) patients the association between symptoms and significant cardiac arrhythmia was detected. Moreover, significant arrhythmia was found in 11 (9.8%) asymptomatic patients. There was no association between presence of major symptoms and significant cardiac arrhythmia (OR=0.57, CI95%: 0.21-1.57; p=0.23). CONCLUSION We found no association between major symptoms and significant cardiac arrhythmia in patients submitted to event recorder monitoring. Event loop recorder was useful to elucidate cases of palpitations and syncope in symptomatic patients.