Autonomic Nervous System and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2017-01-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

The investigators propose to test the hypothesis that the sympathetic nervous system contributes to the cardiovascular and inflammatory abnormalities present in the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and, in particular in the subset of patients characterized by postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS). CFS and POTS are seen mostly in otherwise normal young women, and are the cause of significant disability. A substantial proportion of patients referred for evaluation of POTS met diagnostic criteria for CFS and, conversely, a subset of patients referred for treatment for CFS have POTS. The investigators hypothesize that sympathetic activation underlies the pathophysiology of patients in whom CFS and POTS overlap (CFS-P).

• Phase: Phase 1
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Vanderbilt University; Vanderbilt University Medical Center
• Treatments: Methyldopa; omega-N-Methylarginine; Trimethaphan; Trimethaphan camsylate

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Meet CDC diagnostic criteria of CFS (Fukuda et al., 1994)

• Meet diagnostic criteria of POTS (Raj et al., 2005)

• Age between 18-65 years

• Male and female are eligible (although the majority of patients with CFS-P are female)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of medical conditions that can explain postural tachycardia syndrome (e.g., dehydration, medications)

• Presence of medical or psychiatric conditions known to cause fatigue (Fukuda et al., 1994). Inability to give, or withdrawal of, informed consent

• Inability to acquire or maintain adequate long-term intravenous access (peripheral indwelling catheter, PIC)

• Pregnancy

• Other factors which in the investigator's opinion would prevent the subject from completing the protocol

• Patients who are bedridden or chair-ridden