COVID-19 is a global pandemic that has had a devastating effect on the health and economy of much of human civilization. While the acute impacts of COVID-19 were the initial focus of concern, it is becoming clear that in the wake of COVID-19, many patients are developing chronic symptoms that have been called Long-COVID. Some of the symptoms and signs include those of postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Understanding and managing long-COVID POTS will require a significant infusion of health care resources and a significant additional research investment. In this document from the American Autonomic Society, we outline the scope of the problem, and the resources and research needed to properly address the impact of Long-COVID POTS.

Lipid-lowering drugs produce myopathic side effects in up to 7% of treated patients, with severe rhabdomyolysis occurring in as many as 0.5%. Underlying metabolic muscle diseases have not been evaluated extensively. In a cross-sectional study of 136 patients with drug-induced myopathies, we report a higher prevalence of underlying metabolic muscle diseases than expected in the general population. Control groups included 116 patients on therapy with no myopathic symptoms, 100 asymptomatic individuals from the general population never exposed to statins, and 106 patients with non-statin-induced myopathies. Of 110 patients who underwent mutation testing, 10% were heterozygous or homozygous for mutations causing three metabolic myopathies, compared to 3% testing positive among asymptomatic patients on therapy (P = 0.04). The actual number of mutant alleles found in the test group patients was increased fourfold over the control group (P < 0.0001) due to an increased presence of mutation homozygotes. The number of carriers for carnitine palmitoyltransferase II deficiency and for McArdle disease was increased 13- and 20-fold, respectively, over expected general population frequencies. Homozygotes for myoadenylate deaminase deficiency were increased 3.25-fold with no increase in carrier status. In 52% of muscle biopsies from patients, significant biochemical abnormalities were found in mitochondrial or fatty acid metabolism, with 31% having multiple defects. Variable persistent symptoms occurred in 68% of patients despite cessation of therapy. The effect of statins on energy metabolism combined with a genetic susceptibility to triggering of muscle symptoms may account for myopathic outcomes in certain high-risk groups.

Mutations in ANO5 are a frequent cause of undetermined muscular dystrophy, with both distal and proximal presentation. Other types include high hyperCKemia, myalgia, or calf hypertrophy over decades without significant weakness, especially in female patients. Mutations are distributed all over the gene, indicating that muscular dystrophy caused by ANO5 can be expected to occur in all populations.