Clinical trial NCT05554107: The Effect of Physical Activity on Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome
Official title: The Effect of Physical Activity on Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: POTS - Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome
Keywords: Exercise
POTS
Training programme
Treatment
Orthostatic intolerance
Lead sponsor: Lund University
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Region Skane
First posted: 2022-09-26
Enrollment: 200
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a disorder of unknown origin characterized by orthostatic intolerance and increased heart rate (HR) of ≥ 30 beats/minute during orthostasis in the absence of orthostatic hypotension. In addition to the orthostatic intolerance and tachycardia, patients with POTS experience several debilitating symptoms including light-headedness, nausea, blurred vision, fatigue, mental confusion ("brain-fog"), chest pain and gastrointestinal problems. Several potential underlying mechanisms have been suggested for POTS including autonomic denervation, hypovolemia, hyperadrenergic stimulation and autoantibodies against adrenergic receptors. However, none of these proposed mechanisms has yet led to an effective treatment. Physical activity is recommended as a complimentary treatment in POTS in international guidelines. However, less is known regarding how physical activity could successfully be implemented in clinical practice in patients with POTS. Thus, in the current study, we aim to assess the effect of a 16-week specialized physical activity program in POTS.

Detailed description: A total of 200 patients diagnosed with POTS are asked to participate in the study. The study will be conducted as a cross over study. All POTS patients will continuously be randomized into two groups (Group A and B). Group A will first start the training program and when the training program is finished group B will start the training program. While each group is not performing the training program the patients will be encouraged to physical activity according to their own abilities.

Prior to start of the training program a special POTS questionnaire, the orthostatic hypotension questionnaire and SF-36 (general health questionnaire) will be completed by the participants. Orthostatic tests are performed during 10 minutes, measuring heart rate and blood pressure after 0, 1, 3, and, if possible, 10 minutes of standing. On a separate occasion, patients will perform a maximal biking exercise test, while noting symptoms, degree of exertion, achieved effect, pulse and blood pressure reaction. Following this initial evaluation, the training program will be performed during a total time of 16 weeks, which may be non-consecutive but within 6 months in total. The training program consists of 2-3 visits per week, and 60 minutes per visit. The training may be performed on specialized exercise bicycles in supine position or upright position depending on the severity of POTS symptoms. These exercises will be done under the supervision of physiotherapists with special interest in POTS. After the final training session the POTS questionnaire, the orthostatic hypotension questionnaire and SF-36 will be completed once again. In addition, orthostatic tests and maximal biking exercise test will be performed on a separate occasion soon after the last training session. The POTS questionnaire, the orthostatic hypotension questionnaire, SF-36, hemodynamics and exercise capacity will be compared before and after the 16-weeks training program.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients diagnosed with POTS who have given written informed consent for participation in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis are excluded from the study.

Primary outcomes:
measure: POTS questionnaire
timeFrame: 12 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Orthostatic hypotension questionnaire
timeFrame: 12 months
measure: SF-36
timeFrame: 12 months
measure: Orthostatic tests
timeFrame: 12 months
measure: Maximal biking exercise
timeFrame: 12 months
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Malmö
country: Sweden
facility: Skånes Universitetssjukhus Malmö, Department of Cardiology
Study officials:
affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University; Department of Cardiology Skåne University Hospital
name: Viktor Hamrefors, MD, PhD
role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
References:
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citation: Kharraziha I, Axelsson J, Ricci F, Di Martino G, Persson M, Sutton R, Fedorowski A, Hamrefors V. Serum Activity Against G Protein-Coupled Receptors and Severity of Orthostatic Symptoms in Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. J Am Heart Assoc. 2020 Aug 4;9(15):e015989. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.120.015989. Epub 2020 Jul 30.
citation: Spahic JM, Hamrefors V, Johansson M, Ricci F, Melander O, Sutton R, Fedorowski A. Malmo POTS symptom score: Assessing symptom burden in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. J Intern Med. 2023 Jan;293(1):91-99. doi: 10.1111/joim.13566. Epub 2022 Sep 16.
citation: Laucis NC, Hays RD, Bhattacharyya T. Scoring the SF-36 in Orthopaedics: A Brief Guide. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2015 Oct 7;97(19):1628-34. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.O.00030.