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POTS-CFS Study: Orthostatic Intolerance in the Context of Pediatric ME/CFS

Completed
Conditions
Orthostatic Intolerance
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in Adolescence
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome
Registration Number
NCT06054958
Lead Sponsor
Technical University of Munich
Brief Summary

Pilot-case-control study on exertion and orthostatic intolerance of adolescents with myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) compared to age-matched healthy controls (HC).

Detailed Description

ME/CFS is a complex disease. Symptoms include orthostatic intolerance (OI) such as postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS). PoTS in ME/CFS can significantly impair everyday function and social participation. Yet, data in affected adolescents are rare and inconsistent.

This pilot-case-control study study aimed at characterizing OI in adolescents aged 14-17 years with ME/CFS and age-adapted HC, comparing the results with other clinical features of both such as exertion intolerance, fatigue, and health-related quality of life, and suggesting a standardized tool for diagnostics.

ME/CFS was diagnosed according to the Clinical Canadian Criteria (CCC 2003), criteria of the former Institute of Medicine (IOM 2015), the diagnostic work sheet developed by Rowe 2017, and/or the pediatric case suggested by Jason 2006. Questionnaires were used to evaluate symptoms (e.g. post-exertional malaise, fatigue, anxiety, depression), and health-related quality of life. A standardized specific interview was performed to assess the medical history of OI (HOI). Heart rate (HR) and blood pressure were evaluated every minute during a passive 10-min standing test (NASA lean test) in the morning with empty stomach and without morning medication.

Data were evaluated according to the PoTS criteria defined in 2019 at the National Institutes of Health Expert Consensus Meeting and by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) (8D89.2). Frequency and type of OI, including PoTS, were examined in both groups and outcomes compared to parameters from questionnaires. Based on the results, novel standards for OI diagnostics were suggested.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
40
Inclusion Criteria
  1. Cases (ME/CFS):

    • ME/CFS diagnosed by the indicated clinical criteria
  2. Healthy Controls

    • clinically healthy
    • no known underlying disease
    • no prescription medication (except contraception)
Exclusion Criteria
  • Any contraindication for NASA lean test (cardiac failure, severe aortic stenosis, inability to stand)
  • pregnancy
  • breastfeeding.

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Blood Pressure during Passive 10-min. standing testone time point during study from study start until study completion, approximately 1 year

blood pressure, pulse pressure (calculated by systolic and diastolic blood pressure) during Passive 10-Min. standing test (NASA lean test)

Symptoms during Passive 10-Min. standing testone time point during study from study start until study completion, approximately 1 year

Symptoms during Passive 10-Min. standing test (NASA lean test): Yes/No

O2-Saturation during Passive 10-Min. standing testone time point during study from study start until study completion, approximately 1 year

O2-Saturation during Passive 10-Min. standing test (NASA lean test)

Self-estimated level of Quality of Life: EQ-5D-5L: Visual Analog Scaleone time point during study from study start until study completion, approximately 1 year

Visual Analog Scale (0 worst - 100 best)

Heart Rate during Passive 10-min. standing testone time point during study from study start until study completion, approximately 1 year

Heart rate during Passive 10-Min. standing test (NASA lean test)

Presence of Orthostatic Intolerance: Semistructured Interviewone time point during study from study start until study completion, approximately 1 year

Semistructured Interview, History of Orthostatic Intolerance (OI): Yes/No

Number of orthostatic Symptoms: Semistructured Interviewone time point during study from study start until study completion, approximately 1 year

Semistructured Interview, Number of Symptoms

Number of participants with a diagnosis of PoTS, Orthostatic Intolerance and related diagnosesone time point during study from study start until study completion, approximately 1 year

History of OI and Nasa lean test together result in an orthostatic diagnosis, Fulfilling of PoTS-Criteria at study visit is evaluated

Presence of Post-exertional malaise (DePaul Symptom Questionnaire -Post exertional Malaise: DSQ-PEM)one time point during study from study start until study completion, approximately 1 year

Questionnaire, Binary Outcome: Post-exertional Malaise Yes/No

Self-estimated level of Quality of Life: EQ-5D-5L: Indexone time point during study from study start until study completion, approximately 1 year

Questionnaire: Index (0 worst - 1 best)

Presence of ME/CFS-specific Symptoms (Munich Berlin Symptom Questionnaire)one time point during study from study start until study completion, approximately 1 year

Questionnaire: number of relevant symptoms. Likert Scale "0-4" of severity and frequency for each symptom: A symptom is relevant with a severity and frequency of each at least "2" on the Likert Scale. Minimum: 0 relevant symptoms (best), Maximum: 60 relevant symptoms (worst).

Screening via Public Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4)one time point during study from study start until study completion, approximately 1 year

Ultra-Short-4-item-Screening for Anxiety/Depression: Scale (0 Symptom occurs never - 3 Symptom occurs almost every day)

Malmö PoTS Score (MAPS)one time point during study from study start until study completion, approximately 1 year

Orthostatic Symptoms Severity, Scale (0 no symptom burden - 120 highest symptom burden)

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Levels of serum antibodies against SARS-CoV-2one time point during study from study start until study completion, approximately 1 year

Levels of autoantibodies at study visit

Levels of serum antibodies against EBVone time point during study from study start until study completion, approximately 1 year

Levels of Autoantibodies at study visit

Levels of serum autoantibodiesone time point during study from study start until study completion, approximately 1 year

Levels of autoantibodies at study visit

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

MRI Chronic Fatigue Center for Young People (MCFC) Children's Hospital, Technical University of Munich & Munich Municipal Hospital Munich

🇩🇪

Munich, Bavaria, Germany

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