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030 Post COVID-19 syndrome dysautonomia: a tertiary referral centre experience
  1. Sean Apap Mangion1,
  2. Grace Oommen1,
  3. Ekawat VIchayanrat1,2,
  4. Melissa Heightman1,
  5. Toby Hillman1,
  6. Robert Bell1,
  7. Ellen Merete Hagen1,2,
  8. Gordon Ingle1,
  9. Patricia McNamara1,
  10. Valeria Iodice1,2
  1. 1The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
  2. 2University College London

Abstract

Post-coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) syndrome has substantial health and economic implications. It is multi-systemic, with prevalent autonomic symptoms. Understanding presentations and potential autonomic causes may help guide treatment strategies and recovery.

All patients with a suspected or confirmed history of COVID-19 infection who underwent autonomic testing between May 2020 and October 2021 were reviewed retrospectively.

We evaluated 62 patients (20 male, 42 female, mean age of 41.38 ±11.52). COVID-19 was PCR confirmed in 15 patients (26%), and five (8%) required acute hospital intervention. Most common symptoms included palpitations (81%), light-headedness/dizziness (62%), dyspnoea (48%), fatigue (46%), or cognitive symptoms

(33%) Autonomic testing showed normal blood pressure responses to pressor stimuli, a mean respiratory sinus arrhythmia of 18.89b/m, and Valsalva ratio of 2.09. Postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) was diagnosed in 12 patients, autonomically mediated syncope (AMS) in 11, neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (NOH) in two, and initial orthostatic hypotension (IOH) in seven.

Normal supine and upright plasma noradrenaline levels were measured in 34 patients (mean 283.38 pg/ml supine; 472.43pg/ml tilted).

Autonomic testing was reassuring (PoTS and syncope) in the majority with abnormal testing (n=32, or 52%). Further phenotyping of PoTS to exclude neuropathic pathology may be needed. IOH and OH are important considerations.

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