Clinical Autonomic Disorders: A Training Protocol

Background:

• The autonomic nervous system helps control things that happen automatically in the body, like blood pressure, heart rate, and digestion. When it doesn t work properly, it s called dysautonomia. Researchers want to learn more about dysautonomias and train doctors to learn how to better diagnose them.

Objectives:

• To allow people with autonomic disorders to be evaluated.
• To help fellows in the NIH Autonomic Disorders fellowship program see a variety of diseases in their training.

Eligibility:

• People age 18 and older with dysautonomia; children over age 2 if they might benefit
• Healthy adult volunteers

Design:

• Participants will have different procedures depending on their symptoms. They will have one or more visits. They will have some but not all of the tests below.
• Participants will have a medical history and physical exam. They may be tested for problems thinking. They may complete a symptom questionnaire. They may have their temperature and blood pressure taken.
• Participants may have an intravenous line placed. A needle will guide a thin plastic tube into an arm vein.
• Participants may have blood drawn several times. They may give a urine sample.
• Participants may have an electrocardiogram.
• How much blood a participant s heart is pumping and/or how much blood is flowing through their arm may be measured. The total amount of blood in their bloodstream may be measured.
• Participants may have their ability to sweat and/or sense of smell tested.
• Breathing, bowel sounds, and/or body functions may be monitored.
• Pupil size, response to environmental temperature changes, and/or breathing may be measured.
• Participants may have a bladder ultrasound.
• Small pieces of skin may be taken for study.