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Autonomic FailurePOTSKogNCT03681080

Concentration and Attentional Deficits in POTS and Other Autonomic Neuropathies

A study testing leg crossing in people with Autonomic Failure and Dysautonomia, run by RWTH Aachen University at 1 site in Germany.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

People with POTS, autoimmune autonomic neuropathy (AAN), pure autonomic failure (PAF), SFN and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) do not only suffer from orthostatic symptoms such as dizziness, headache, neck pain, blurred vision or (pre-) syncope. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 60 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
What is being tested?
leg crossing
Type of treatment
Surgery or procedure
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
110 participants
Where
1 siteGermany
Study dates
1 Apr 2017to 30 May 2023
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 60 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • AAN, SFN, hEDS, POTS or healthy control
  • diagnosis in our clinic on the basis of anamnesis, clinical data as neurological examination, tilt table, QST, skin biopsy, norepinephrine values, vitamine B12, antibodies

Who cannot join

  • for all participants
  • pregnancy, nonage,severe heart insufficiency, deep brain Stimulation, pace maker, drug consumption, large fibre polyneuropathy for controls
  • medication influencing blood pressure, psychiatric disease, synkopes or dizziness, neurological disorders esp. polyneuropathy, dementia, vitamine or iron deficiency

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Germany1 site
  • University Hospital, RWTH Aachen

    Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, 52074

Other trials in Germany

About this study

Official title: Understanding Impaired Concentration, Attentional Deficits and Their Pathophysiology in Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and Other Autonomic Neuropathies (POTSKog-Study Aachen)

People with POTS, autoimmune autonomic neuropathy (AAN), pure autonomic failure (PAF), SFN and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) do not only suffer from orthostatic symptoms such as dizziness, headache, neck pain, blurred vision or (pre-) syncope. They also experience deficits in attention and concentration (more precisely deficits in selective perspective, operating speed, executive functions and memory performance) mainly in upright position. Only few studies concerning cognitive impairment in autonomic neuropathies, their frequency, aetiology and therapy exist. Many patients concerned, especially with POTS, report attention deficits and "brain fog" with problems in their everyday life and work, predominantly in upright posture. Specific symptomatic or medical therapies do not exist. Medical treatment with Modafinil is discussed and part of a current study at Vanderbilt Autonomic Dysfunction Centre (1-5). The investigators want to investigate if problems of concentration, attention and/or cognitive dysfunction exist in people with POTS, AAN, SFN and EDS compared to healthy controls (HC). Thus the investigators use detailed clinical, autonomic and neuropsychological tests in different body positions (lying, sitting and standing) as also acute therapy (leg crossing).

Read the detailed description

We are still recruting healthy controls and patients with autoimmune autonomic neuropathy in order to perform titl table examination and laboratory testing on day one, ono an empty stomach, without morning medication. Cognitive testing is performed on day two after randomization in three groups: lying, standing and standing with legs crossed.

Being tested
leg crossing
Medical subject headings
Pure Autonomic Failure, Autonomic Nervous System Diseases, Cognitive Dysfunction, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • leg crossingProcedure or surgery

    As Counter maneuvre legs will be crossed and cognitive tests will be performed.

Study groups in NCT03681080
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
lyingNo interventioncognitive tests are performed during lying in all groups (SFN, AAN, EDS, POTS and controls)
standingNo interventioncognitive tests are performed during active Standing in all groups (SFN, AAN, EDS, POTS and controls)
crossed legsExperimentalcognitive tests are performed during leg crossing in all groups (SFN, AAN, EDS, POTS and controls)
Receives: Procedure: leg crossing

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. cognitive function: Stroop, TMT A und B

    Change of results of cognitive function tests lying compared to standing and leg crossing

    Measured: during intervention (Leg crossing)

Secondary outcomes (3)
  1. blood pressure Change (mmHg)

    Change between blood pressure lying compared to compared to standing and leg crossing

    Measured: during intervention (Leg crossing)

  2. Heart frequency Change (B/min)

    Change between heart frequency lying compared to compared to standing and leg crossing

    Measured: during intervention (Leg crossing)

  3. cerebral blood flow velocity

    Change between cerebral blood flow compared to compared to standing and leg crossing

    Measured: during intervention (Leg crossing)

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted21 Sep 2018
  2. Study start1 Apr 2017
  3. Primary completion30 May 2021
  4. Study completion30 May 2023

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Supportive care
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
110 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03681080
Sponsor's protocol ID
17-006
Acronym
POTSKog
Status last verified
Jun 2023
First submitted
10 Sep 2018
Last updated
26 Jun 2023
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Stewart JM, Del Pozzi AT, Pandey A, Messer ZR, Terilli C, Medow MS. Oscillatory cerebral blood flow is associated with impaired neurocognition and functional hyperemia in postural tachycardia syndrome during graded tilt. Hypertension. 2015 Mar;65(3):636-43. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.114.04576. Epub 2014 Dec 15.

    PubMed 25510829
  • Anderson JW, Lambert EA, Sari CI, Dawood T, Esler MD, Vaddadi G, Lambert GW. Cognitive function, health-related quality of life, and symptoms of depression and anxiety sensitivity are impaired in patients with the postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Front Physiol. 2014 Jun 25;5:230. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2014.00230. eCollection 2014.

    PubMed 25009504
  • Arnold AC, Haman K, Garland EM, Raj V, Dupont WD, Biaggioni I, Robertson D, Raj SR. Cognitive dysfunction in postural tachycardia syndrome. Clin Sci (Lond). 2015 Jan;128(1):39-45. doi: 10.1042/CS20140251.

    PubMed 25001527
  • Gibbons CH, Centi J, Vernino S, Freeman R. Autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy with reversible cognitive impairment. Arch Neurol. 2012 Apr;69(4):461-6. doi: 10.1001/archneurol.2011.2372. Epub 2011 Dec 12.

    PubMed 22158721
  • Guaraldi P, Poda R, Calandra-Buonaura G, Solieri L, Sambati L, Gallassi R, Cortelli P. Cognitive function in peripheral autonomic disorders. PLoS One. 2014 Jan 17;9(1):e85020. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085020. eCollection 2014.

    PubMed 24465471
  • Maier A, Schopen L, Thiel JC, Muller K, Fimm B, Schulz JB. Cognitive functioning in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome among different body positions: a prospective pilot study (POTSKog study). Clin Auton Res. 2023 Aug;33(4):459-468. doi: 10.1007/s10286-023-00950-0. Epub 2023 Jun 1.

    PubMed 37261636

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing leg crossing in people with Autonomic Failure and Dysautonomia, run by RWTH Aachen University at 1 site in Germany.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 26 Jun 2023. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Germany. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

cognitive function: Stroop, TMT A und B (time frame: during intervention (Leg crossing)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03681080, which also lists 6 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 26 Jun 2023.

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