Physiological and clinical comparison of active stand and head-up tilt tests in POTS, 2025, Jaiden Uppal et al

Mij

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Highlights

Heart rate and Δheart rate were significantly different between the AST and HUT.

Both the AST and HUT demonstrated a drop in SBP and stroke volume over time.

Higher proportion of POTS patients met heart rate criteria with HUT than AST.

Abstract
Head-up tilt (HUT) and active stand tests (AST) are used in the diagnosis of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), but their relative diagnostic accuracy is unclear. This necessitates a direct comparison under standardized conditions. We aimed to compare the hemodynamic responses and diagnostic accuracy of AST vs. HUT in POTS.

To address this, patients with POTS (n = 60) completed a 10-min AST followed by HUT on the same day. Beat-to-beat hemodynamics were recorded during 10-min supine baselines and each test. Delta values were calculated for each test (upright 1-min averages minus baseline average).

Δ[heart rate] increased significantly over time (1_Min: 28 bpm to 10_Min: 40 bpm; PTime < 0.001), and was greater for HUT (33 bpm vs. 37 bpm; PASTvHUT = 0.01), with significant Time x Condition interaction (38 bpm vs. 42 bpm at10min; PINT < 0.001). Δ[stroke volume] declined over time (1_Min: -18 ml to 10_Min: -32 ml); PTime < 0.001), with no significant test or interaction effects (PASTvHUT = 0.36; PINT = 0.21). Δ[SBP] decreased (1_Min: −0.3 mmHg to 10_Min: −5.7 mmHg); PTime < 0.001) over time, with no test or interaction effects.

Fewer patients met POTS heart rate criteria during the AST (AST: 74 % vs. HUT: 98 %; p < 0.001). Lowering the threshold to 27 bpm for AST narrowed the gap but was still significantly higher for HUT (AST: 83 % vs HUT: 98 %; p = 0.02).

Orthostatic tachycardia differs between AST and HUT in patients with POTS. The proportion of patients with POTS meeting the heart rate diagnostic criteria differs significantly between AST and HUT, a discrepancy that can be mitigated by lowering the heart rate threshold for the AST.
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Following a minimum 10-min supine baseline, participants were instructed to stand as quickly as possible (from supine to stand within 5–10 s), and to remain standing quietly and unaided for 10 min (Finucane et al., 2019). After a washout period of 30 min in the supine position, patients completed another 10-min supine baseline followed by a 10-min HUT. A 30-min washout period was utilized as the comparison of AST and HUT were completed as part of our larger autonomic function testing protocol. During the washout period, supine breathing tests (hyperventilation, sinus arrhythmia, and Valsalva) were completed.
Could the breathing tests have any effect on the results in the HUT?

They’ve tested the order of the two tests before and didn’t find any differences in a small cohort or 2x16, so the order presumably doesn’t matter.
https://www.s4me.info/threads/compr...n-patients-with-pots-2021-bourne-et-al.22415/
 
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