Autoimmunity in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome: Current understanding

Abstract

There is growing interest in the role of autoimmunity in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). In recent years, investigators have described an increased rate of co-morbid autoimmune disease, and the presence of several neural receptor autoantibodies and non-specific autoimmune markers in POTS. Case reports on the efficacy of immunotherapy in highly selected POTS patients continue to appear in the literature, while no prospective clinical trials have occurred to date. This article summarizes the current state of knowledge on the role of autoimmunity in POTS, the clinical implications of these findings, and prospects for future research.