dr. Julia Newton

foto: © Regina Clos

Volgens de kop van een artikel op de voorpagina van de Telegraph n.a.v. onderstaande studie

kan 1/3 van de ME-patiënten behandeld worden omdat ze eigenlijk POTS-patiënten zouden zijn.

Voor een tekstuele versie van het artikel in de Telegraph, klik op onderstaande logo:

Lijkt me een wat simpele redenering, aangezien ME/CVS orthostatische intolerantie niet uitsluit.

Overigens ging het in deze studie niet om een vergelijking met ME- maar met CVS-patiënten.

Voor het persbericht bij deze studie, klik op onderstaande afbeelding:

Postural tachycardia syndrome is associated with significant symptoms

and functional impairment predominantly affecting young women: a UK perspective.

BMJ Open 2014;4:e004127 doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2013-004127.

McDonald C, Koshi S, Busner L, Newton JL.

Received 27 September 2013

Accepted 11 October 2013

Published 16 June 2014

Objective

To examine a large UK cohort of patients with postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS),

to compare demographic characteristics, symptoms and treatment of PoTS

at one centre compared to the largest patient group PoTS UK and

to verify if their functional limitation is similar to patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

Design

A cross-sectional study assessed

the frequency of symptoms and their associated variables.

Patients and setting

Two PoTS cohorts were:

recruited via PoTS UK,

diagnosed at Newcastle Hospitals National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust 2009–2012.

Patients with PoTS

were then compared to a matched cohort with CFS.

Main outcome measures

Patients' detailed

demographics, time to diagnosis, education, disability, medications, comorbidity and precipitants.

Symptom assessment tools captured,

Fatigue Impact Scale, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Orthostatic Grading Scale (OGS),

Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Health Assessment Questionnaire,

Cognitive Failures Questionnaire.

Results

136 patients with PoTS participated (84 members of PoTS UK (170 cohort; 50% return) and

52 (87 cohort; 60%) from Newcastle Clinics).

The PoTS UK population

was significantly younger than the clinic patients,

with significantly fewer men (p=0.005).

Over 60% had a university or postgraduate degree.

Significantly more of the PoTS UK cohort were working,

with hours worked being significantly higher (p=0.001).

Time to diagnosis was significantly longer in the PoTS UK cohort (p=0.04).

Symptom severity was comparable between cohorts.

The PoTS total group was compared with a matched CFS cohort;

despite comparable levels of fatigue and sleepiness,

autonomic symptom burden (OGS) was statistically significantly higher.

The most common treatment regime included β-blockers.

Overall, 21 treatment combinations were described.

Up to 1/3 were taking no treatment.

Conclusions

Patients with PoTS are predominantly women, young, well-educated and

have significant and debilitating symptoms that impact significantly on quality of life.

Despite this, there is no consistent treatment.

http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/4/6/e004127.full.pdf