Funded Research Studies

Standing Up to POTS is making a difference in the POTS community through research.  To date, we have awarded $80,150 USD of POTS research for teams in the United States, Canada, Germany, and Sweden.  Our primary research interest is to improve the quality of life for people living with POTS right now through better diagnosis and treatment options.

Dr. Artur Fedorowski, Dr. Daiva Daukantaite, Dr. Viktor Hamrefors, and Dr. Karl Firth - Lund University, Stockholm, Sweden - February 2019

This study will explore sleep patterns in POTS patients in their home environment over the course of 28 days.  In addition, a variety of physiological variables will be monitored and recorded in real time 24 hours a day to better determine physiological fluctuations in POTS patients.  Results are expected in 2023.   

Dr. Heather Edgell - York University, School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Toronto, Canada - February 2018

The overall aim of this study is to examine how hormonal changes related to a woman's menstrual cycle affect symptoms of POTS, and whether the time of the month matters in diagnosis POTS for women of childbearing age.  Further, a novel therapy for alleviating symptoms will be tested. 

PUBLICATION: Nardone, Massimo, Juan Guzman, Paula Jean Harvey, John S. Floras, and Heather Edgell. 2020. "Effect of a neck compression collar on cardiorespiratory and cerebrovascular function in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS)." Journal of Applied Physiology. doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00040.2020

Dr. Andrea Maier, Dr. J.B. Schulz, Dr. Roman Rolke, and Dr. Joacim Weis - University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Germany - February 2018

Many patients 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. This study will investigate problems of concentration, attention and/or cognitive dysfunction in people with POTS, autoimmune autonomic neuropathy, small fiber neuropathy and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome compared to healthy controls.  Results are expected in 2021.

Dr. Svetlana Blitshteyn - Dysautonomic Clinic, Buffalo, New York, USA - June, 2017

This study examines the connection between Lyme Disease and POTS, a particularly important issue for our friends in the Northeastern United States and other places where Lyme disease is prevalent.  Results are expected in 2020.

We will share more details here as the findings become available.  Please consider supporting Standing Up to POTS Research Fund so that we may help great researchers like these find answers faster.