Psychiatric profile and attention deficits in postural tachycardia syndrome

Abstract

Objectives-Patients with postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) often appear anxious and report inattention. We formally assessed patients with POTS for psychiatric disorders and inattention and compared them to patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and control subjects. Methods-Patients with POTS (N=21), ADHD (N=18) and normal control subjects (N=20) were assessed for DSM-IV psychiatric disorders and completed a battery of questionnaires that assessed depression, anxiety and ADHD characteristics.Results-Patients with POTS did not have an increased prevalence of major depression or anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, compared to the general population. Patients with POTS had mild depression. They scored as moderately anxious on the Beck Anxiety Inventory, but did not exhibit a high level of anxiety sensitivity. Patients with POTS scored significantly higher on inattention and ADHD subscales than control subjects. These symptoms were not present during childhood.Conclusions-Patients with POTS do not have an increased lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders. Although they may seem anxious, they do not have excess cognitive anxiety. They do experience significant inattention, which may be an important source of disability. Search Terms

Vesicular and Plasma Membrane Transporters for Neurotransmitters

“…Interestingly, OI subjects also show cognitive impairments that may reflect NET activity and NE signaling in the brain (Raj et al 2009). Supporting this possibility, a promoter variant in NET has been found to recruit a transcriptional repressor, leading to reduced NET expression, and influencing risk of ADHD (Kim et al 2006) as well as systolic blood pressure in healthy subjects (Kohli et al 2011).…”

Prevalence of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome in Patients with Psychiatric Disorders

“…Patients with POTS often complain of light-headedness or dizziness, palpitations, blurred vision, tremulousness, sense of weakness, shortness of breath, fatigue and sleep disturbance [2] . In addition to reporting numerous physical symptoms, POTS patients are more anxious and depressed compared to healthy subjects [3][4][5] . Conversely, patients with anxiety, depressive and somatoform disorders frequently complain of somatic symp- standing test) in a quiet room at 24 ° C. After enough resting time (at least 10 min), the subjects were asked to lie in the supine position for 10 min.…”

Manifestations of Anxiety Explaining Tachycardia and Hypertension in a Patient with POTS

“…In another study, Raj et al had patients with POTS complete numerous questionnaires for psychiatric disorders, including the Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Anxiety Severity Index, and also undergo the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV axis-I disorders (SCID) [6]. They found that patients with POTS had no difference in prevalence of anxiety or depressive disorders compared to the general population.…”