Background: We aimed to determine whether patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) have sexual dysfunction compared to age-matched healthy controls. Methods: Utilizing online COMPASS-31 to evaluate dysautonomia symptom severity, Beck\'s Depression Inventory Second Edition (BDII), Female Sexual Function (FSF), and International Index of Erection Function (IIEF) questionnaires, we compared sexual function scores in patients with POTS to scores obtained from sex- and age-matched healthy controls via a cross-sectional case-control study. Results: A total of 160 women with POTS, mean age 30.2 ± 7.9 (range 21-50 years), had lower FSF scores than 62 healthy age-matched female controls. IIEF scores in 29 male patients with POTS with a mean age of 30.1 ± 6.0 (range 21-47) were significantly lower than in 27 healthy age-matched male controls. Female POTS patients had significantly lower scores in the sub-domains of desire, arousal, and satisfaction, while male POTS patients had significantly lower scores in erectile and orgasmic function, desire, and satisfaction than healthy controls. Predictive factors of sexual dysfunction were depression in women and age in men. The severity of autonomic symptoms correlated with sexual dysfunction in women, but this effect disappeared after controlling for depression. Conclusions: Compared to healthy controls, women and men with POTS have significant sexual dysfunction, which needs to be considered in the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches as part of comprehensive patient care.

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is mainly characterized by orthostatic intolerance and positional tachycardia although it frequently involves a myriad of non-specific symptoms that seem to overlap with existing medical conditions. Recent efforts have been made to further classify subtypes of POTS and associated conditions to better delineate underlying pathophysiology in an effort to guide diagnosis and tailor treatment. Here, we present a 22-year-old female with debilitating symptoms of POTS who reported pelvic pain on review of systems and underwent vascular ultrasound of the inferior vena cava, iliac veins, and bilateral lower extremities which revealed the characteristic left common iliac vein compression of May-Thurner syndrome prompting venous stenting which provided systemic symptomatic relief.

Introduction In recent years, low-dose naltrexone has emerged as a novel off-label therapy for many chronic conditions including postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), however, there is little evidence for its efficacy. Methods In this institutional review board (IRB)-approved case series, the charts of six tilt table-confirmed patients with POTS who underwent a trial of low-dose naltrexone (LDN) at our institution were reviewed. Medical history, subjective description of symptom severity, the continuation of therapy, tolerability, and scores on patient-reported outcome measures (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System {PROMIS} Fatigue, PROMIS physical and mental health, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment {GAD}-7, Patient Health Questionnaire {PHQ}-9, and Composite Autonomic Symptom Score {COMPASS}) were collected at therapy initiation and six to 12 months after the start of LDN. Results Three out of six reviewed patients reported an improvement in their POTS after the initiation of LDN. Two patients discontinued the therapy due to a lack of perceived benefit. No side effects or adverse outcomes were reported. The patient-reported outcome measures of PROMIS Fatigue, PROMIS physical and mental health, GAD-7, PHQ-9, and COMPASS showed inconsistent changes over the course of therapy, with some patients showing improvement or stability and others showing worsening. The small sample size and incomplete response rate did not allow for extensive statistical analysis. Conclusion As seen in its use in other conditions, LDN appears to have a favorable safety and side effect profile in patients with POTS but has little evidence for efficacy. Although some patients noted benefit, patient-reported outcome measures show a variable response profile. High-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to determine if the treatment is efficacious and should be used outside of a trial basis.

Postural orthostatic tachycardia is a syndrome characterized by an elevated heart rate in response to standing. This syndrome typically presents in late adolescence and early adulthood, with a higher percentage occurring in females. This syndrome is often seen following a viral infection, pregnancy, surgery, or intense psychological stress. This condition presents a wide range of symptoms that vary depending on its unclear etiology. We present the case of a 21-year-old woman with convulsions associated with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome after being misdiagnosed with a psychiatric condition for many years.

BACKGROUND: The emergence of dysautonomia as a consequence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2; or COVID-19) is becoming more prevalent. We have seen evidence in several post-COVID patients and in the literature of varying degrees of autonomic dysfunction. Symptoms, among others, include inappropriate tachycardia, sweating, anxiety, insomnia and blood pressure variability from the effects of excessive catecholamine, as well as cognitive impairment, fatigue, headaches and orthostatic intolerance from decreased brain perfusion.
METHODS: We present a case of severe dysautonomia in a previously healthy 27-year-old runner. About five weeks after her initial mild COVID-19 infection, the patient began to develop weakness, which progressed into severe post-exertional fatigue, slowed cognition, headaches, blurred vision and generalized body aches. She also endorsed palpitations, especially when getting up from a seated or lying position as well as with mild exertion. She became reliant on her husband for help with her activities of daily living. Exam was significant for orthostasis; laboratory workup unremarkable. Over the following months, the patient\'s symptoms have improved slowly with fluid and sodium intake, compression stockings and participating in a graduated exercise program.
CONCLUSIONS: Dysautonomia as a consequence of infection with COVID-19 is becoming increasingly discussed, especially as more patients recover from COVID-19. This is a case of a non-hospitalized patient with a mild initial presentation and significant, debilitating dysautonomia symptoms. More research on its pathophysiology, especially in relation to a precedent viral insult, as well as its treatment, is needed.

OBJECTIVE: Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination prevents infections with HPV strains that cause certain cancers. Reports of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) following HPV vaccination have raised safety concerns. We reviewed POTS reports submitted to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).
METHODS: We searched the VAERS database for reports of POTS following any type of HPV vaccination (bivalent, quadrivalent, or nonavalent) from June 2006 to August 2015. We reviewed reports and applied established POTS diagnostic criteria. We calculated unadjusted POTS case reporting rates based on HPV vaccine doses distributed and conducted empirical Bayesian data mining to screen for disproportional reporting of POTS following HPV vaccination.
RESULTS: Among 40,735 VAERS reports following HPV vaccination, we identified 29 POTS reports that fully met diagnostic criteria. Of these, 27 (93.1%) were in females and mean age was 14 years (range 12-32). Median time from vaccination to start of symptoms was 43 days (range 0-407); most (18, 75.0%) had onset between 0 and 90 days. Symptoms frequently reported concomitantly included headache (22, 75.9%) and dizziness (21, 72.4%). Twenty (68.9%) reports documented a history of pre-existing medical conditions, of which chronic fatigue (5, 17.2%), asthma (4, 13.8%), and chronic headache (3, 10.3%) were most common. Approximately one POTS case is reported for every 6.5 million HPV vaccine doses distributed in the United States. No empirical Bayesian data mining safety signals for POTS and HPV vaccination were detected.
CONCLUSIONS: POTS is rarely reported following HPV vaccination. Our review did not detect any unusual or unexpected reporting patterns that would suggest a safety problem.