Psychological stress in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome: A pilot pre-COVID survey

Abstract

Background/Aims: Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a chronic condition in which patients show a marked increase in heart rate on standing, but also suffer from a range of additional symptoms, which may include fatigue and difficulty in concentration. This study's aim was to investigate the role of psychological stress, resilience, and lifestyle as possible contributing factors in POTS onset and symptomatology. Methods: Sixty patients diagnosed with POTS at a tertiary investigation center were contacted by mail. A 64-item, online survey was developed in five sections to explore stressful events at symptom onset, present lifestyle factors, and perceptions of stress and resilience. A link was provided for the online survey to those who accepted study participation. Results: Twenty-four POTS patients completed the survey. The average age at onset of symptoms was 20 years and 4 months, with patients waiting an average of 9 years and 5 months for a POTS diagnosis. Respondents reported 54 stressful events in the 12 months leading up to the onset of their symptoms, an average of 2.48 (standard deviation [SD] = 3.24) events per person. However, the modal response was zero events. Patients with POTS had a statistically significant higher score for perceived stress (M = 19.38, SD = 8.88, P < 0.01) than the general population of Sweden (M = 13.96, SD = 5.63). However, there was no correlation between perceptions of stress and symptom severity measured by the orthostatic hypotension questionnaire. Conclusions: Swedish POTS patients have higher levels of perceived stress, similar to other disease states like chronic pain. However, no correlation between perceptions of stress and symptom severity was found. While some respondents reported many stressful events in the lead up to symptom onset, their role is unclear. Further study is required.