PoTS and Dysautonomia Research
3 studies as of March, 2022
STUDIES APPEAR IN ORDER FROM OLDEST TO NEWEST ADDED
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Circulatory System
Heart, veins, arteries, capillaries, and blood.
POTS AND PELVIC VENOUS INSUFFICIENCY
Knuttinen, M. G., Zurcher, K. S., Khurana, N., Patel, I., Foxx-Orenstein, A., Harris, L. A., Lawrence, A., Aguilar, F., Sichlau, M., Smith, B. H., & Smith, S. J. (2020). Imaging findings of pelvic venous insufficiency in patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Phlebology: The Journal of Venous Disease, 36(1), 32–37. https://doi.org/10.1177/0268355520947610
This study investigated the prevalence of significant compression of the left common iliac vein (LCIV) in PoTS patients, finding that some patients improved following pelvic venous insufficiency treatment. They retrospectively viewed CT pelvic vein scans in women (191 with PoTS, 25 controls) and found that 69% of the patients had significant LCIV compression (>50% compressed). Comparitvely, 40% of the SMALL control group had significant compression, which suggested that PoTS patients may benefit from assessment and treatment of compression.
Summary by Kimberly Czotter
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Digestive System
Teeth, esophagus, stomach, intestines, and vitamin/mineral deficiencies.
Hormones (Endocrine System)
How hormones and menstruation affect EDS and hypermobility.
PUBERTY AND THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
Coupal, K. E., Heeney, N. D., Hockin, B. C. D., Ronsley, R., Armstrong, K., Sanatani, S., & Claydon, V. E. (2019). Pubertal Hormonal Changes and the Autonomic Nervous System: Potential Role in Pediatric Orthostatic Intolerance. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2019.01197
During puberty, adolescents may experience symptoms associated to ANS dysfunction - related to PoTS or vasovagal syncope. As these conditions are signficantly more common in females, there is the potential that hormones contribute to this, and this review explores the hromonal changes that associate to female puberty and their effect on the ANS and role in predisposing young girls to dysfunction. For example, these puberty hormones decrease blood volume and increase vasodialation: estrogen, insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1, thyroid hormones, and growth hormone. High progesterone levels may exacerbate these effects as it suppresses sympathetic outflow and catecholamine secretion.
Summary by Kimberly Czotter
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Immune System
Lymph nodes, white blood cells, and conditions we are likely to catch.
POTS AND INFLAMMATORY AUTOANTIBODIES
Gunning, W. T., 3rd, Stepkowski, S. M., Kramer, P. M., Karabin, B. L., & Grubb, B. P. (2021). Inflammatory Biomarkers in Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome with Elevated G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Autoantibodies. Journal of clinical medicine, 10(4), 623. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10040623
These authors are collecting evidence for understanding POTS as an autoimmune disorder - referencing previous studies that 89% of patients (n=55) demonstrated elevated autoantibodies in G-protein-coupled adrenergic A1 receptors and 53% with elevated acetylcholine M4 receptor autoantibodies. In this study, they evaluated the plasma of 34 patients, demonstrating that all had autoantibodies for the A1 adrenergic receptor, with 55.9% having M4 acetylcholine receptor autoantibodies. The majority (85%) had platelet storage pool deficiency and elevated cytokine levels (in 5/10 markers) like what is found in autoimmune disorders.
Summary by Kimberly Czotter
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