Prevalence of orthostatic intolerance in long covid clinic patients and healthy volunteers: A multicenter study.

Orthostatic intolerance (OI), including postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) and orthostatic hypotension (OH), are often reported in long covid, but published studies are small with inconsistent results. We sought to estimate the prevalence of objective OI in patients attending long covid clinics and healthy volunteers and associations with OI symptoms and comorbidities. Participants with a diagnosis of long covid were recruited from eight UK long covid clinics, and healthy volunteers from general population. All undertook standardized National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lean Test (NLT). Participants' history of typical OI symptoms (e.g., dizziness, palpitations) before and during the NLT were recorded. Two hundred seventy-seven long covid patients and 50 frequency-matched healthy volunteers were tested. Healthy volunteers had no history of OI symptoms or symptoms during NLT or PoTS, 10% had asymptomatic OH. One hundred thirty (47%) long covid patients had previous history of OI symptoms and 144 (52%) developed symptoms during the NLT. Forty-one (15%) had an abnormal NLT, 20 (7%) met criteria for PoTS, and 21 (8%) had OH. Of patients with an abnormal NLT, 45% had no prior symptoms of OI. Relaxing the diagnostic thresholds for PoTS from two consecutive abnormal readings to one abnormal reading during the NLT, resulted in 11% of long covid participants (an additional 4%) meeting criteria for PoTS, but not in healthy volunteers. More than half of long covid patients experienced OI symptoms during NLT and more than one in 10 patients met the criteria for either PoTS or OH, half of whom did not report previous typical OI symptoms. We therefore recommend all patients attending long covid clinics are offered an NLT and appropriate management commenced.

Novel pharmacotherapeutic options for the treatment of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a disorder characterized by a constellation of symptoms including lightheadedness, fatigue, and palpitations when upright, associated with an increase in the heart rate (HR) of > 30 beats per minute when changing from a lying down to standing position or head-up tilt position and not associated with orthostatic hypotension. The causes as well as the management of POTS are not quite fully understood. AREAS COVERED: We performed a literature review on the diagnosis and management of POTS, and this article includes an overview of novel pharmacotherapeutic options for the treatment of (POTS), although an effective treatment has not been established. EXPERT OPINION: POTS is a clinical syndrome characterized by a constellation of symptoms that are nonspecific. No single etiology or unified hypothesis could be identified. In fact, multiple pathophysiological mechanisms have been proposed, and none of the suggested medications have been approved by the FDA for this indication. Further understanding of the autonomic nervous system and its adjustment to standing position is needed to provide better management strategies.

Effect of lower body negative pressure on cardiac and cerebral function in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome: A pilot MRI assessment.

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is characterized by an excessive heart rate (HR) response upon standing and symptoms indicative of inadequate cerebral perfusion. We tested the hypothesis that during lower body negative pressure (LBNP), individuals with POTS would have larger decreases in cardiac and cerebrovascular function measured using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Eleven patients with POTS and 10 healthy controls were studied at rest and during 20 min of -25 mmHg LBNP. Biventricular volumes, stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (Qc), and HR were determined by cardiac MR. Cerebral oxygen uptake (VO2 ) in the superior sagittal sinus was calculated from cerebral blood flow (CBF; MR phase contrast), venous O2 saturation (SvO2 ; susceptometry-based oximetry), and arterial O2 saturation (pulse oximeter). Regional cerebral perfusion was determined using arterial spin labelling. HR increased in response to LBNP (p < 0.001) with no group differences (HC: +9 ± 8 bpm; POTS: +13 ± 11 bpm; p = 0.35). Biventricular volumes, SV, and Qc decreased during LBNP (p < 0.001). CBF and SvO2 decreased with LBNP (p = 0.01 and 0.03, respectively) but not cerebral VO2 (effect of LBNP: p = 0.28; HC: -0.2 ± 3.7 mL/min; POTS: +1.1 ± 2.0 mL/min; p = 0.33 between groups). Regional cerebral perfusion decreased during LBNP (p < 0.001) but was not different between groups. These data suggest patients with POTS have preserved cardiac and cerebrovascular function.

Complete remission with histamine blocker in a patient with intractable hyperadrenergic postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome secondary to long coronavirus disease syndrome.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has emerged as a global public health concern and its sequels have barely started to outcrop. A good percentage of patients who suffered from COVID-19 are prone to develop long-COVID or post-COVID condition (PCC), a multisystemic, heterogeneous, chronic disorder. Patients with PCC may experience diverse manifestations, of which cardiovascular and neurological symptoms are among the most frequently reported. Indeed, dysautonomia presented as orthostatic intolerance has gained room following recent reports linking postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) with PCC. Disturbances in heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) during postural changes are the cornerstones of orthostatic intolerance seen in patients suffering from PCC. A subtype of POTS, hyperadrenergic POTS, has been widely studied because of its association with mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS). Although a causative relationship between PCC, hyperadrenergic POTS, and MCAS remains unrevealed, these syndromes can overlap. We want to propose here a correlation produced by a close-loop mechanism with positive feedback established after SARS-CoV-2 infection in a previously healthy young patient.

Impact of COVID-19 infection on baseline autonomic symptoms in patients with preexisting postural tachycardia syndrome and orthostatic intolerance: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and dysautonomia following a SARS-CoV-2 infection have been recently reported. The underlying mechanism of dysautonomia is not well understood. The impact of this viral illness on the underlying autonomic symptoms has not been studied in patients with a pre-existing POTS diagnosis. Our study aims to report the impact of a COVID-19 infection on patients with preexisting POTS, both during the acute phase of the disease and post-recovery. METHODS: Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval was obtained to access charts of the study subjects. All patients with known POTS disease who acquired COVID-19 infection between April 2020 and May 2021 were included. The end point of the study was worsening POTS related symptoms including orthostatic dizziness, palpitation, fatigue and syncope/ presyncope post COVID-19 infection that required escalation of therapy. Basic demographics, details of POTS diagnosis, medications, Additional information regarding COVID 19 infection, duration of illness, need for hospitalization, worsening of POTS symptoms, need for ED visits, the type of persisting symptoms and vaccination status were obtained from the retrospective chart review. RESULTS: A total of 41 patients were studied. The alpha-variant was the most common causing SARS-CoV-2 infection. 27% (11 patients) of them had tested positive for COVID- 19 infection more than once. About 38 (92.7%) of them reported having worsening of their baseline POTS symptoms during the active infection phase. About 28 patients (68%) experienced worsening of their dysautonomia symptoms for at least 1-6 months post infection. Nearly 30 patients (73.2%) required additional therapy for their symptom control and improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with pre-existing POTS, most experienced a worsening of their baseline autonomic symptoms after suffering the COVID-19 infection which required additional pharmacotherapy for their symptom improvement.

Randomized controlled trial of intravenous immunoglobulin for autoimmune postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (iSTAND).

OBJECTIVE: This study assesses response to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in presumed autoimmune postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). BACKGROUND: POTS may be associated with autoimmune disorders, serum autoantibodies, or recent infection. Uncontrolled case studies suggest that IVIG is beneficial for treating autoimmune POTS. No previous randomized controlled trials have been conducted. METHODS: This single-site randomized controlled trial compared IVIG with intravenous albumin infusions. Albumin comparator ensured blinding and control for effects of volume expansion. Eligible patients with POTS had COMPASS-31 total weighted score ≥ 40 and met predetermined criteria suggesting autoimmunity. Over 12 weeks, participants received eight infusions (0.4 gm/kg each). Four infusions were given weekly followed by four infusions every other week. Primary outcome measure was improvement in COMPASS-31 2 weeks after final infusion. RESULTS: A total of 50 participants consented; 30 met inclusion criteria and received study drug (16 IVIG and 14 albumin; 29 female). Group baseline characteristics were well matched; 27 participants completed treatment protocol. Change in COMPASS-31 did not differ between groups (median change [IQR]; IVIG: -5.5 [-23.3, 2.5] versus albumin: -10.6 [-14.1, -4.7]; p-value = 0.629). The IVIG group had a higher response rate (46.7% versus 38.5%), but this was not statistically significant. Adverse events were common but usually mild and did not differ between treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: This small randomized controlled trial of IVIG in POTS found no statistical difference in response compared with albumin infusion. Both groups showed improvement possibly related to volume expansion or other effects obscuring group differences. These findings inform development of future immunomodulatory clinical trials in POTS.

Gut microbiota composition is altered in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and post-acute COVID-19 syndrome.

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) reflects an autonomic dysfunction, which can occur as a complication to COVID-19. Our aim was to examine gastrointestinal symptoms and gut microbiota composition in patients with POTS and post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS), compared with controls. POTS patients (n = 27), PACS patients (n = 32) and controls (n = 39) delivered fecal samples and completed a 4-day food diary, irritable bowel syndrome-severity scoring system (IBS-SSS), and visual analog scale for IBS (VAS-IBS). A total of 98 DNA aliquots were sequenced to an average depth of 28.3 million (M) read pairs (Illumina 2 × 150 PE) per sample. Diversity and taxonomic levels of the microbiome, as well as functional abundances were calculated for POTS and PACS groups, then compared with controls. There were several differences in taxonomic composition between POTS and controls, whereas only the abundance of Ascomycota and Firmicutes differed between PACS and controls. The clinical variables total IBS-SSS, fatigue, and bloating and flatulence significantly correlated with multiple individual taxa abundances, alpha diversity, and functional abundances. We conclude that POTS, and to a less extent PACS, are associated with differences in gut microbiota composition in diversity and at several taxonomic levels. Clinical symptoms are correlated with both alpha diversity and taxonomic and functional abundances.

Exploring quality of life in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome: A conceptual analysis.

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is a complex autonomic disorder characterized by an abnormal increase in heart rate upon orthostatic change. While primarily described in its effect on the autonomic and cardiovascular system, it can cause significant functional impairment, leading to a diminished quality of life (QoL). This review paper aims to delve into the multifaceted dimensions of QoL in individuals with POTS by providing a conceptual model to discuss factors influencing QoL. Current QoL assessments used in the POTS population and their findings are described for each domain in this conceptual model. Limitations to this body of research include the literature having no consensus in the most appropriate measure of QoL to use for individuals with POTS, the absence of a POTS-specific measure of QoL, and current measures not assessing concerns germane to this population. The authors emphasize the necessity of a POTS-specific measure to be developed to improve our assessment and understanding of how living with POTS impacts QoL.

The use and effectiveness of exercise for managing postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome in young adults with joint hypermobility and related conditions: A scoping review.

PURPOSE: Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is a form of dysautonomia. It may occur in isolation, but frequently co-exists in individuals with hypermobile variants of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and related conditions (chronic fatigue syndrome [CFS] and fibromyalgia). Exercise is recommended for non-pharmacological POTS management but needs to be individualised. This scoping review explores the current literature on use and effectiveness of exercise-based management for POTS, with specific focus on individuals with joint hypermobility and related conditions who experience hypermobility, and/or pain, and/or fatigue. METHODS: A systematic search, to January 2023, of Medline, EMBASE, AMED, CINAHL and the Cochrane library was conducted. Studies that reported on adolescents and adults who had been diagnosed with POTS using standard criteria and underwent an exercise-based training intervention were included. RESULTS: Following full-text screening, 10 articles were identified (2 randomised control trials, 4 comparative studies and 4 case reports). One comparative study reported a small subset of participants with EDS and one case report included an individual diagnosed with CFS; the remainder investigated a wider POTS population. Overall, 3 months of endurance followed by resistance exercise, graduating from the horizontal-to-upright position reduced POTS symptoms and improved quality-of-life. CONCLUSION: The findings highlight a paucity of higher-level studies documenting exercise for POTS management in people with joint hypermobility and related conditions. Results from the wider POTS population demonstrate exercise is safe and effective. Large, well-designed clinical studies exploring exercise for POTS management adapting to meet the complex musculoskeletal and non-musculoskeletal features of symptomatic joint hypermobility are needed.

Comorbid anxiety is associated with more changes in the Management of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is not an anxiety disorder, but it shares similar symptomatology. The impact of this comorbidity on management is unknown. This information may lead to better strategies to improve the care of this subgroup. METHOD: The electronic medical records of 322 patients seen at our institution between 2018 and 2022 with confirmed POTS diagnoses were analyzed. Demographics, anxiety comorbidities, questionnaire responses, and treatment course changes were collected. Negative binomial regression models examined if the presence of an anxiety disorder was associated with the number of POTS treatment course changes offset by observation time. RESULTS: When adjusted for sex, age, baseline GAD-7 score, and baseline PROMIS global mental health score, those with a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder had2.6 times the incident rate of treatment changes for POTS management (IRR = 2.66 (95% CI: 1.43-4.95)). CONCLUSION: Individuals carrying the diagnosis of an anxiety disorder had an increase in the incident rate of treatment changes for POTS therapy. This finding may be due to the underlying pathophysiology and treatment of anxiety disorders, the effect of bias, and difficulty with symptom differentiation. More work needs to be done to determine how to best care for POTS patients with comorbid anxiety.

Mismatch between subjective and objective dysautonomia.

Autonomic symptom questionnaires are frequently used to assess dysautonomia. It is unknown whether subjective dysautonomia obtained from autonomic questionnaires correlates with objective dysautonomia measured by quantitative autonomic testing. The objective of our study was to determine correlations between subjective and objective measures of dysautonomia. This was a retrospective cross-sectional study conducted at Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital Autonomic Laboratory between 2017 and 2023 evaluating the patients who completed autonomic testing. Analyses included validated autonomic questionnaires [Survey of Autonomic Symptoms (SAS), Composite Autonomic Symptom Score 31 (Compass-31)] and standardized autonomic tests (Valsalva maneuver, deep breathing, sudomotor, and tilt test). The autonomic testing results were graded by a Quantitative scale for grading of cardiovascular reflexes, sudomotor tests and skin biopsies (QASAT), and Composite Autonomic Severity Score (CASS). Autonomic testing, QASAT, CASS, and SAS were obtained in 2627 patients, and Compass-31 in 564 patients. The correlation was strong between subjective instruments (SAS vs. Compass-31, r = 0.74, p < 0.001) and between objective instruments (QASAT vs. CASS, r = 0.81, p < 0.001). There were no correlations between SAS and QASAT nor between Compass-31 and CASS. There continued to be no correlations between subjective and objective instruments for selected diagnoses (post-acute sequelae of COVID-19, n = 61; postural tachycardia syndrome, 211; peripheral autonomic neuropathy, 463; myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, 95; preload failure, 120; post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, 163; hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, 213; neurogenic orthostatic hypotension, 86; diabetes type II, 71, mast cell activation syndrome, 172; hereditary alpha tryptasemia, 45). The lack of correlation between subjective and objective instruments highlights the limitations of the commonly used questionnaires with some patients overestimating and some underestimating true autonomic deficit. The diagnosis-independent subjective-objective mismatch further signifies the unmet need for reliable screening surveys. Patients who overestimate the symptom burden may represent a population with idiosyncratic autonomic-like symptomatology, which needs further study. At this time, the use of autonomic questionnaires as a replacement of autonomic testing cannot be recommended.

Symptom presentation by phenotype of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) presents heterogeneously and is diagnosed when appropriate symptoms are present in conjunction with a heart rate increase of at least 30 beats-per-minute upon standing without orthostatic hypotension. Much of the current understanding of POTS is based on clinical expertise, particularly regarding POTS phenotypes and their potential role in targeting pharmacologic treatment. This study describes the symptom presentation of POTS by phenotypes at a subspecialty POTS clinic. Data was collected prospectively during clinical visits between April 17, 2014 and February 8, 2021. This data was abstracted retrospectively by chart review. Most of the 378 study participants were female (89.9%) with a mean age 23.0 ± 4.9 years. Lightheadedness was the most common (97.6%) symptom and the most disruptive of quality of life (29.9%). Patients reported substantial functional impairment across multiple life domains, with 3.0 ± 2.8 days lost and 4.7 ± 2.3 unproductive days per week. There were no differences in symptom presentation among POTS phenotypes. POTS phenotypes are not distinguishable based on symptoms alone; if phenotyping is sought, testing is necessary. Further research is needed in better classifying POTS phenotypes with the potential goal of tailoring treatment.

Establishment and validation of a multivariate predictive model for the efficacy of oral rehydration salts in children with postural tachycardia syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The therapeutic effectiveness of the empirical and unselected use of oral rehydration salts (ORS) on postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is not satisfactory in children. Therefore, looking for suitable predictors of the therapeutic effects of ORS before treatment is extremely necessary to implement individualised treatment for paediatric patients with POTS. METHODS: A retrospective case-control analysis of 130 patients (aged 5-18 years) who suffered from POTS with a 3-month treatment of ORS was conducted. A nomogram model was developed in the training set (n = 87) to predict the therapeutic response to ORS. Univariate analysis and logistic regression were applied to select the most useful predictors. ROC curves were applied to evaluate the discriminative performance of the nomogram model. The nomogram was then evaluated by calibration curves and the Hosmer-Lemeshow (H-L) test. The results were further validated using 1000 bootstrap resamples. External validation was performed in an independent validation set (n = 43). FINDINGS: Among the ten variables with significant differences between the responders and non-responders in univariate analysis, five variables were found to be independently associated factors for ORS therapeutic efficacy among POTS children in the further logistic regression, including mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean arterial pressure (MAP) at the first minute of the upright position, urine specific gravity (SG), and P-wave voltage peaking ratio (PWP). The nomogram model was established in the training set (AUC 0.926 [95% CI: 0.865-0.988], yielding a sensitivity of 87.8% and a specificity of 86.8%). The calibration curves showed good agreement between the prediction of the nomogram and actual observation in both the training and validation sets. The nomogram also effectively predicted the external validation set (sensitivity 82.1%, specificity 73.3%, and accuracy 79.1%). INTERPRETATION: We established a feasible and high-precision nomogram model to predict the efficacy of ORS, which would help implement individualised treatment for children with POTS. FUNDING: This study was supported by National High-Level Hospital Clinical Research Funding (Multi-centre Clinical Research Project of Peking University First Hospital) (2022CR59).

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome after COVID-19 vaccination.

BACKGROUND: There is an association between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mRNA vaccination and the incidence or exacerbation of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to characterize patients reporting new or exacerbated POTS after receiving the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. METHODS: We prospectively collected data from sequential patients in a POTS clinic between July 2021 and June 2022 reporting new or exacerbated POTS symptoms after COVID-19 vaccination. Heart rate variability (HRV) and skin sympathetic nerve activity (SKNA) were compared against those of 24 healthy controls. RESULTS: Ten patients (6 women and 4 men; age 41.5 ± 7.9 years) met inclusion criteria. Four patients had standing norepinephrine levels > 600 pg/mL. All patients had conditions that could raise POTS risk, including previous COVID-19 infection (N = 4), hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (N = 6), mast cell activation syndrome (N = 6), and autoimmune (N = 7), cardiac (N = 7), neurological (N = 6), or gastrointestinal conditions (N = 4). HRV analysis indicated a lower ambulatory root mean square of successive differences (46.19 ±24 ms; P = .042) vs control (72.49 ± 40.8 ms). SKNA showed a reduced mean amplitude (0.97 ± 0.052 µV; P = .011) vs control (1.2 ± 0.31 µV) and burst amplitude (1.67 ± 0.16 µV; P = .018) vs control (4. 3 ± 4.3 µV). After 417.2 ± 131.4 days of follow-up, all patients reported improvement with the usual POTS care, although 2 with COVID-19 reinfection and 1 with small fiber neuropathy did have relapses of POTS symptoms. CONCLUSION: All patients with postvaccination POTS had pre-existing conditions. There was no evidence of myocardial injuries or echocardiographic abnormalities. The decreased HRV suggests a sympathetic dominant state. Although all patients improved with guideline-directed care, there is a risk of relapse.

Laryngological Symptomatology in Patients with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

Laryngological manifestations of connective tissue diease with hypermobility such as ehlers-danlos syndrome (EDS) are not well defined in the literature. EDS is an inherited, hetrogeneous, connective tissue disorder characterized by joint hypermobility, skin extensibility, and joint dislocations. A case series of 9 patients is presented with varying laryngological complaints. Common comorbities include postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)/laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD). Six patients were singers. Videostroboscopic parameters and treatment courses are described. It may be beneficial to view patients with EDS and laryngological complaints through a holistic lens as many may need interdisciplinary assessment and management. Laryngoscope, 134:894-896, 2024.

Noninvasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Postural Tachycardia Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Low-level transcutaneous stimulation of the auricular branch of the vagus nerve at the tragus is antiarrhythmic and anti-inflammatory in animals and humans. Preliminary studies show that transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) is beneficial in animal models of postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS). OBJECTIVES: In this study the authors conducted a sham-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trial to examine the effect of tVNS on POTS over a 2-month period relative to sham stimulation. METHODS: tVNS (20 Hz, 1 mA below discomfort threshold) was delivered using an ear clip attached to either the tragus (active; n = 12) or the ear lobe (sham; n = 14) for 1 hour daily over a 2-month period. Postural tachycardia was assessed during the baseline and 2-month visit. Heart rate variability based on 5-minute electrocardiogram, serum cytokines, and antiautonomic autoantibodies were measured at the respective time points. RESULTS: Mean age was 34 ± 11 years (100% female; 81% Caucasian). Adherence to daily stimulation was 83% in the active arm and 86% in the sham arm (P > 0.05). Postural tachycardia was significantly less in the active arm compared with the sham arm at 2 months (mean postural increase in heart rate 17.6 ± 9.9 beats/min vs 31.7 ± 14.4 beats/min; P = 0.01). Antiadrenergic autoantibodies and inflammatory cytokines were lower in the active arm compared with the sham arm at 2 months (P < 0.05). Heart rate variability was better in the active arm. No device-related side effects were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the emerging paradigm of noninvasive neuromodulation to treat POTS. Mechanistically, this effect appears to be related to reduction of antiautonomic autoantibodies and inflammatory cytokines, and improvement in autonomic tone. Further studies are warranted. (Autoimmune Basis for Postural Tachycardia Syndrome; NCT05043051).