Key result
Autonomic testing reveals PASC frequently features abnormal nerve function clinically indistinguishable from POTS.
Why the study?
The underlying pathophysiology of PASC is not well understood, and few studies have examined autonomic function despite clinical similarities between PASC and POTS.
Do patients with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 syndrome (PASC) have abnormal autonomic nerve function compared to POTS patients and healthy controls?
Observational
Do patients with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 syndrome (PASC) have abnormal autonomic nerve function compared to POTS patients and healthy controls?
PASC patients frequently exhibit abnormal autonomic function tests and clinical features indistinguishable from POTS, suggesting dysautonomia plays a role in PASC pathophysiology.
May support autonomic testing in PASC; hypothesis-generating for dysautonomia-targeted trials.
The novel SARS-CoV-2 virus and resulting COVID-19 global pandemic emerged in 2019 and continues into 2022. While mortality from COVID-19 is slowly declining, a subset of patients have developed chronic, debilitating symptoms following complete recovery from acute infection with COVID-19. Termed as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 syndrome (PASC), the underlying pathophysiology of PASC is still not well understood. Given the similarity between the clinical phenotypes of PASC and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), it has been postulated that dysautonomia may play a role in the pathophysiology of PASC. However, there have been only a few studies that have examined autonomic function in PASC. In this retrospective study, we performed an analysis of autonomic nerve function testing in PASC patients and compared the results with those of POTS patients and healthy controls. Our results suggest that a significant number of PASC patients have abnormal autonomic function tests, and their clinical features are indistinguishable from POTS.
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Chung et al. (2022) conducted an observational in Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Syndrome (PASC). Autonomic nerve function testing vs. POTS patients and healthy controls was evaluated on Abnormal autonomic function tests and clinical features. Autonomic nerve function testing revealed that a significant number of PASC patients have abnormal autonomic function, with clinical features indistinguishable from POTS.
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