By Cort Johnson in Health Rising.

Despite the current lack of consensus as to the underlying biological basis of CFS, there is considerable evidence … to highlight an abnormality of the autonomic nervous system as a unifying pathological factor. Newton et. al. 2013

A fascinating case of research confluence took place a couple of years ago which suggested that hyperadrenergic POTS and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) patients may not be as far apart as they seem.

The two diseases share similar symptoms and some findings.  Problems with blood pooling and/or the brain have sent norepinephrine levels soaring in hyperadrenergic POTS patients. Norepinephrine levels have not been well studied in ME/CFS but one larger study found increased levels.

POTS, however, is not present in all or probably most ME/CFS patients.  Grubb warned about placing too much importance on POTS criteria, but a large Australian study (n=306) nevertheless found POTS present in just 11% of ME/CFS patients.  Those POTS-positive ME/CFS patients, interestingly, tended to be younger than the non-POTS patients.  Newton’s large (n=179) U.K. study produced similar findings. POTS was present in about the same percentage of patients (13%), who tended to be younger than non-POTS patients.

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Link to ME Research story