Highlights
- •Patients with POTS exhibit significant challenges pertaining to psychological symptoms and quality of life.
- •Anxiety sensitivity may be the more prominent manifestation of anxiety in patients with POTS.
- •Autonomic symptoms are correlated with increased impairment in depression, pain catastrophizing and quality of life.
- •Findings support existing theories that psychological symptoms may be a response to physical symptoms.
Abstract
Psychological symptoms are frequently reported in patients with Postural Orthostatic
Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS); however, the nature of these symptoms is not well understood.
The current study described baseline psychological symptoms in patients with POTS,
and examined associations between psychological and self-report autonomic symptoms.
Participants reported mild anxiety symptoms, moderate depressive symptoms, severe
somatization, and elevated anxiety sensitivity. Depressive symptoms and pain catastrophizing
were significantly associated with autonomic symptoms. The current study adds to the
literature by documenting elevated levels of anxiety sensitivity, and relationships
between psychological and autonomic symptoms.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 05, 2020
Accepted:
May 21,
2020
Received in revised form:
May 6,
2020
Received:
November 11,
2019
Identification
Copyright
© 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
