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van Campen C(LMC, Rowe PC, Visser FC. Worsening Symptoms Is Associated with Larger Cerebral Blood Flow Abnormalities during Tilt-Testing in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:2153. [PMID: 38138257 PMCID: PMC10744908 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59122153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: During tilt testing, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) patients experience an abnormal reduction in cerebral blood flow (CBF). The relationship between this CBF reduction and symptom severity has not been examined in detail. Our hypothesis was that ME/CFS severity is related to the degree of the CBF reduction during tilt testing. Materials and Methods: First, from our database, we selected ME/CFS patients who had undergone assessments of ME/CFS symptomatology and tilt tests on the same day, one at the first visit and the second during a follow-up. The change in symptomatology was related to the change in CBF during the tilt test. Second, we combined the data of two previously published studies (n = 219), where disease severity as defined by the 2011 international consensus criteria (ICC) was available but not published. Results: 71 patients were retested because of worsening symptoms. The ICC disease severity distribution (mild-moderate-severe) changed from 51/45/4% at visit-1 to 1/72/27% at follow-up (p < 0.0001). The %CBF reduction changed from initially 19% to 31% at follow-up (p < 0.0001). Of 39 patients with stable disease, the severity distribution was similar at visit-1 (36/51/13%) and at follow-up (33/49/18%), p = ns. The %CBF reduction remained unchanged: both 24%, p = ns. The combined data of the two previously published studies showed that patients with mild, moderate, and severe disease had %CBF reductions of 25, 29, and 33%, respectively (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Disease severity and %CBF reduction during tilt testing are highly associated in ME/CFS: a more severe disease is related to a larger %CBF reduction. The data suggest a causal relationship where a larger CBF reduction leads to worsening symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter C. Rowe
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA;
| | - Frans C. Visser
- Stichting CardioZorg, Planetenweg 5, 2132 HN Hoofddorp, The Netherlands;
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2
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van Campen C(LM, Verheugt FW, Rowe PC, Visser FC. Orthostatic chronotropic incompetence in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). IBRO Neurosci Rep 2023; 15:1-10. [PMID: 37303862 PMCID: PMC10250802 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2023.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Orthostatic intolerance (OI) is a core diagnostic criterion in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The majority of ME/CFS patients have no evidence of hypotension or postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) during head-up tilt, but do show a significantly larger reduction in stroke volume index (SVI) when upright compared to controls. Theoretically a reduction in SVI should be accompanied by a compensatory increase in heart rate (HR). When there is an incomplete compensatory increase in HR, this is considered chronotropic incompetence. This study explored the relationship between HR and SVI to determine whether chronotropic incompetence was present during tilt testing in ME/CFS patients. Methods From a database of individuals who had undergone tilt testing with Doppler measurements for SVI both supine and end-tilt, we selected ME/CFS patients and healthy controls (HC) who had no evidence of POTS or hypotension during the test. To determine the relation between the HR increase and SVI decrease during the tilt test in patients, we calculated the 95% prediction intervals of this relation in HC. Chronotropic incompetence in patients was defined as a HR increase below the lower limit of the 95th % prediction interval of the HR increase in HC. Results We compared 362 ME/CFS patients with 52 HC. At end-tilt, tilt lasting for 15 (4) min, ME/CFS patients had a significantly lower SVI (22 (4) vs. 27 (4) ml/m2; p < 0.0001) and a higher HR (87 (11) vs. 78 (15) bpm; p < 0.0001) compared to HC. There was a similar relationship between HR and SVI between ME/CFS patients and HC in the supine position. During tilt ME/CFS patients had a lower HR for a given SVI; 37% had an inadequate HR increase. Chronotropic incompetence was more common in more severely affected ME/CFS patients. Conclusion These novel findings represent the first description of orthostatic chronotropic incompetence during tilt testing in ME/CFS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Peter C. Rowe
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Frans C. Visser
- Stichting CardioZorg, Planetenweg 5, 2132 HN Hoofddorp, The Netherlands
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Macionis V. Fetal head-down posture may explain the rapid brain evolution in humans and other primates: An interpretative review. Brain Res 2023; 1820:148558. [PMID: 37634686 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2023.148558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Evolutionary cerebrovascular consequences of upside-down postural verticality of the anthropoid fetus have been largely overlooked in the literature. This working hypothesis-based report provides a literature interpretation from an aspect that the rapid evolution of the human brain has been promoted by fetal head-down position due to maternal upright and semi-upright posture. Habitual vertical torso posture is a feature not only of humans, but also of monkeys and non-human apes that spend considerable time in a sitting position. Consequently, the head-down position of the fetus may have caused physiological craniovascular hypertension that stimulated expansion of the intracranial vessels and acted as an epigenetic physiological stress, which enhanced neurogenesis and eventually, along with other selective pressures, led to the progressive growth of the anthropoid brain and its organization. This article collaterally opens a new insight into the conundrum of high cephalopelvic proportions (i.e., the tight fit between the pelvic birth canal and fetal head) in phylogenetically distant lineages of monkeys, lesser apes, and humans. Low cephalopelvic proportions in non-human great apes could be accounted for by their energetically efficient horizontal nest-sleeping and consequently by their larger body mass compared to monkeys and lesser apes that sleep upright. One can further hypothesize that brain size varies in anthropoids according to the degree of exposure of the fetus to postural verticality. The supporting evidence for this postulation includes a finding that in fossil hominins cerebral blood flow rate increased faster than brain volume. This testable hypothesis opens a perspective for research on fetal postural cerebral hemodynamics.
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Cai L, Zhao E, Niu H, Liu Y, Zhang T, Liu D, Zhang Z, Li J, Qiao P, Lv H, Ren P, Zheng W, Wang Z. A machine learning approach to predict cerebral perfusion status based on internal carotid artery blood flow. Comput Biol Med 2023; 164:107264. [PMID: 37481951 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2023.107264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Cerebral blood flow (CBF), or perfusion, is a prerequisite for maintaining brain metabolism and normal physiological functions. Diagnosing and evaluating cerebral perfusion status is crucial to managing brain disease. However, cerebral perfusion imaging devices are complicated to operate, should be controlled by specialized technicians, are often large, and are usually installed in fixed places such as hospitals. It is significantly difficult for clinicians to obtain the cerebral perfusion status in time. Considering that CBF is mainly supplied by the internal carotid artery (ICA), this study proposes a cerebral perfusion status prediction model that can automatically quantify the level of cerebral perfusion in patients by modeling the association between ICA blood flow and cerebral perfusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty-eight participants were enrolled in the study after screening. We collected participants' ICA ultrasound and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data before and after dobutamine injection based on a rigorous experimental paradigm and built an ICA-cerebral perfusion datasetdd. Support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBOOST) were used for early prediction of cerebral perfusion status. The SHAP analysis was adopted to reveal the impact of interpretable predictions for each feature. RESULTS The XGBOOST model demonstrated the best overall classification performance with an accuracy of 78.01%, sensitivity of 96.67%, specificity of 98.23%, F1 score of 74.57%, Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) of 62.17%, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 87.08%. Accelerated speed, peak systolic flow velocity, and resistance index of ICA blood flow are important factors for cerebral perfusion prediction. CONCLUSIONS The proposed method paves a new avenue for the study of predicting cerebral perfusion status automatically and providesv a noninvasive, real-time, and low-cost alternative to brain perfusion imaging. Moreover, this analysis identifies highly predictive features for the cerebral perfusion status and gives clinicians an intuitive understanding of the influence of key features. The prediction models can serve as an early warning tool that offers sufficient time for clinicians to take early intervention measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linkun Cai
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, 100191, Beijing, China.
| | - Erwei Zhao
- National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China.
| | - Haijun Niu
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, 100191, Beijing, China
| | - Yawen Liu
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, 100191, Beijing, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, 100191, Beijing, China
| | - Dong Liu
- Department of Ultrasound, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100050, Beijing, China
| | - Zhe Zhang
- China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100050, Beijing, China
| | - Penggang Qiao
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100050, Beijing, China
| | - Han Lv
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100050, Beijing, China
| | - Pengling Ren
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100050, Beijing, China.
| | - Wei Zheng
- National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China.
| | - Zhenchang Wang
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, 100191, Beijing, China; Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100050, Beijing, China.
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van Campen C(LMC, Rowe PC, Verheugt FWA, Visser FC. Influence of end-tidal CO 2 on cerebral blood flow during orthostatic stress in controls and adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. Physiol Rep 2023; 11:e15639. [PMID: 37688420 PMCID: PMC10492011 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.15639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain perfusion is sensitive to changes in CO2 levels (CO2 reactivity). Previously, we showed a pathological cerebral blood flow (CBF) reduction in the majority of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) patients during orthostatic stress. Limited data are available on the relation between CO2 and CBF changes in ME/CFS patients. Therefore, we studied this relation between ME/CFS patients and healthy controls (HC) during tilt testing. In this retrospective study, supine and end-tilt CBF, as measured by extracranial Doppler flow, were compared with PET CO2 data in female patients either with a normal heart rate and blood pressure (HR/BP) response or with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), and in HC. Five hundred thirty-five female ME/CFS patients and 34 HC were included. Both in supine position and at end-tilt, there was a significant relation between CBF and PET CO2 in patients (p < 0.0001), without differences between patients with a normal HR/BP response and with POTS. The relations between the %CBF change and the PET CO2 reduction were both significant in patients and HC (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0012, respectively). In a multiple regression analysis, the patient/HC status and PET CO2 predicted CBF. The contribution of the PET CO2 to CBF changes was limited, with low adjusted R2 values. In female ME/CFS patients, CO2 reactivity, as measured during orthostatic stress testing, is similar to that of HC and is independent of the type of hemodynamic abnormality. However, the influence of CO2 changes on CBF changes is modest in female ME/CFS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter C. Rowe
- Department of PaediatricsJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
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Burma JS, Seok J, Johnston NE, Smirl JD. Cerebral blood velocity during concurrent supine cycling, lower body negative pressure, and head-up tilt challenges: implications for concussion rehabilitation. Physiol Meas 2023; 44:084002. [PMID: 37531960 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6579/acecd4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Introduction. The effect of concurrent head-up tilt and lower body negative pressure (LBNP) have been examined on middle cerebral artery velocity (MCAv) at rest; however, it is unknown the superimposed effect these factors have on blunting the elevation in cerebral blood velocity associated with moderate-intensity exercise.Methods. 23 healthy adults (11 females / 12 males, 20-33 years) completed three visits. The first consisted of a maximal ramp supine cycling test to identify the wattage associated with individualized maximal MCAv. Subsequent visits included randomized no LBNP (control) or LBNP at -40 Torr (experimental) with successively increasing head-up tilt stages of 0, 15, 30, and 45 degrees during the pre-described individualized wattage. Transcranial Doppler ultrasound was utilized to quantify MCAv. Two-factorial repeated measures analysis of variance with effect sizes were used to determine differences between days and tilt stages.Results. Between-day baseline values for MCAv, heart rate, and blood pressure displayed low variability with <5% variation. With no LBNP, MCAv was above baseline on average for all participants; however, 15 degrees and 30 degrees tilt with concurrent -40 Torr LBNP was sufficient to return MCAv to 100% of baseline values in females and males, respectively. Body-weight did not impact the association between tilt and pressure (R2range: 0.01-0.12).Conclusion. Combined LBNP and tilt were sufficient to reduce the increase in MCAv associated with moderate-intensity exercise. This exercise modality shows utility to enable individuals with a concussion to obtain the positive physiological adaptions associated with exercise while minimizing symptom exacerbation due to the notion of the Monro-Kellie doctrine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel S Burma
- Cerebrovascular Concussion Lab, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Human Performance Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Integrated Concussion Research Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jina Seok
- Cerebrovascular Concussion Lab, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nathan E Johnston
- Cerebrovascular Concussion Lab, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jonathan D Smirl
- Cerebrovascular Concussion Lab, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Human Performance Laboratory, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Integrated Concussion Research Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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7
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van Campen C(LMC, Rowe PC, Visser FC. Comparison of a 20 degree and 70 degree tilt test in adolescent myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) patients. Front Pediatr 2023; 11:1169447. [PMID: 37252045 PMCID: PMC10213432 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1169447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction During a standard 70-degree head-up tilt test, 90% of adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) develop an abnormal reduction in cerebral blood flow (CBF). A 70-degree test might not be tolerated by young ME/CFS patients because of the high incidence of syncopal spells. This study examined whether a test at 20 degrees would be sufficient to provoke important reductions in CBF in young ME/CFS patients. Methods We analyzed 83 studies of adolescent ME/CFS patients. We assessed CBF using extracranial Doppler measurements of the internal carotid and vertebral arteries supine and during the tilt. We studied 42 adolescents during a 20 degree and 41 during a 70 degree test. Results At 20 degrees, no patients developed postural orthostatic tachycardia (POTS), compared to 32% at 70 degrees (p = 0.0002). The CBF reduction during the 20 degree tilt of -27(6)% was slightly less than during the reduction during a 70 degree test [-31(7)%; p = 0.003]. Seventeen adolescents had CBF measurements at both 20 and 70 degrees. The CBF reduction in these patients with both a 20 and 70 degrees test was significantly larger at 70 degrees than at 20 degrees (p < 0.0001). Conclusions A 20 degree tilt in young ME/CFS patients resulted in a CBF reduction comparable to that in adult patients during a 70 degree test. The lower tilt angle provoked less POTS, emphasizing the importance of using the 70 degree angle for that diagnosis. Further study is needed to explore whether CBF measurements during tilt provide an improved standard for classifying orthostatic intolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter C. Rowe
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Whittle RS, Diaz-Artiles A. Gravitational effects on carotid and jugular characteristics in graded head-up and head-down tilt. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2023; 134:217-229. [PMID: 36476158 PMCID: PMC9870583 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00248.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Altered gravity affects hemodynamics and blood flow in the neck. At least one incidence of jugular venous thrombosis has been reported in an astronaut on the International Space Station. This investigation explores the impact of changes in the direction of the gravitational vector on the characteristics of the neck arteries and veins. Twelve subjects underwent graded tilt from 45° head-up to 45° head-down in 15° increments in both supine and prone positions. At each angle, the cross-sectional area of the left and right common carotid arteries (ACCA) and internal jugular veins (AIJV) were measured by ultrasound. Internal jugular venous pressure (IJVP) was also measured by compression sonography. Gravitational dose-response curves were generated from experimental data. ACCA did not show any gravitational dependence. Conversely, both AIJV and IJVP increased in a nonlinear fashion with head-down tilt. AIJV was significantly larger on the right side than the left side at all tilt angles. In addition, IJVP was significantly elevated in the prone position compared with the supine position, most likely because of raised intrathoracic pressure while prone. Dose-response curves were compared with existing experimental data from parabolic flight and spaceflight studies, showing good agreement on an acute timescale. The quantification of jugular hemodynamics as a function of changes in the gravitational vector presented here provides a terrestrial model to reference spaceflight-induced changes, contributes to the assessment of the pathogenesis of spaceflight venous thromboembolism events, and informs the development of countermeasures.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Flow stasis and thrombosis have been identified in the jugular vein during spaceflight. We measured the area and pressure of the internal jugular vein and the area of the common carotid artery in graded head-up and head-down tilt. Experimental data are used to generate gravitational dose-response curves for the measured variables, demonstrating that jugular vein area and pressure exhibit a nonlinear response to altered gravity. Gravitational dose-response curves show good agreement with spaceflight and parabolic flight studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard S Whittle
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Ana Diaz-Artiles
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
- Department of Kinesiology & Sport Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
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van Campen C(LMC, Visser FC. Long-Haul COVID Patients: Prevalence of POTS Are Reduced but Cerebral Blood Flow Abnormalities Remain Abnormal with Longer Disease Duration. Healthcare (Basel) 2022; 10:healthcare10102105. [PMID: 36292552 PMCID: PMC9602558 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10102105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) has been described early after the onset of the COVID-19 infection, but also orthostatic hypotension (OH). In the present study, we hypothesized that orthostatic intolerance decreases over time. Methods: In 29 long-haul COVID-19 (LHC) patients, a tilt test was performed, including measurements of cerebral blood flow (CBF) by extracranial Doppler. The time interval between the onset of infection and the tilt test varied between 3 and 28 months. Results: In the first 12 months after the infection, 71% of the LHC patients showed POTS and after 24 months none of them. In the first 12 months, 29% of patients had a normal heart rate and blood pressure response (normHRBP) and after 24 months 75% (distribution of POTS, OH, and a normHRBP over time: p < 0.0001). Linear regression showed that, over time, there was a decrease in the abnormal CBF during the tilt (p = 0.024) but remained abnormal. Conclusion: In LHC patients, hemodynamic abnormalities of a tilt test change over time. Patients studied early after the onset of the disease mainly exhibit POTS, but patients studied later in the time course mainly show a normHRBP or OH. In addition, the abnormal CBF reduction improves over time, but CBF remains abnormal.
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Orthostatic Intolerance in Long-Haul COVID after SARS-CoV-2: A Case-Control Comparison with Post-EBV and Insidious-Onset Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients. Healthcare (Basel) 2022; 10:healthcare10102058. [PMID: 36292504 PMCID: PMC9602265 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10102058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: As complaints of long-haul COVID patients are similar to those of ME/CFS patients and as orthostatic intolerance (OI) plays an important role in the COVID infection symptomatology, we compared 14 long-haul COVID patients with 14 ME/CFS patients with a post-viral Ebstein-Barr (EBV) onset and 14 ME/CFS patients with an insidious onset of the disease. Methods: In all patients, OI analysis by history taking and OI assessed during a tilt test, as well as cerebral blood flow measurements by extracranial Doppler, and cardiac index measurements by suprasternal Doppler during the tilt test were obtained in all patients. Results: Except for disease duration no differences were found in clinical characteristics. The prevalence of POTS was higher in the long-haul patients (100%) than in post-EBV (43%) and in insidious-onset (50%) patients (p = 0.0002). No differences between the three groups were present in the prevalence of OI, heart rate and blood pressure changes, changes in cerebral blood flow or in cardiac index during the tilt test. Conclusion: OI symptomatology and objective abnormalities of OI (abnormal cerebral blood flow and cardiac index reduction during tilt testing) are comparable to those in ME/CFS patients. It indicates that long-haul COVID is essentially the same disease as ME/CFS.
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Ismail SNA, Nayan NA, Jaafar R, May Z. Recent Advances in Non-Invasive Blood Pressure Monitoring and Prediction Using a Machine Learning Approach. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 22:6195. [PMID: 36015956 PMCID: PMC9412312 DOI: 10.3390/s22166195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Blood pressure (BP) monitoring can be performed either invasively via arterial catheterization or non-invasively through a cuff sphygmomanometer. However, for conscious individuals, traditional cuff-based BP monitoring devices are often uncomfortable, intermittent, and impractical for frequent measurements. Continuous and non-invasive BP (NIBP) monitoring is currently gaining attention in the human health monitoring area due to its promising potentials in assessing the health status of an individual, enabled by machine learning (ML), for various purposes such as early prediction of disease and intervention treatment. This review presents the development of a non-invasive BP measuring tool called sphygmomanometer in brief, summarizes state-of-the-art NIBP sensors, and identifies extended works on continuous NIBP monitoring using commercial devices. Moreover, the NIBP predictive techniques including pulse arrival time, pulse transit time, pulse wave velocity, and ML are elaborated on the basis of bio-signals acquisition from these sensors. Additionally, the different BP values (systolic BP, diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure) of the various ML models adopted in several reported studies are compared in terms of the international validation standards developed by the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) and the British Hypertension Society (BHS) for clinically-approved BP monitors. Finally, several challenges and possible solutions for the implementation and realization of continuous NIBP technology are addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siti Nor Ashikin Ismail
- Department of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Nazrul Anuar Nayan
- Department of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia
- Institute Islam Hadhari, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Rosmina Jaafar
- Department of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Zazilah May
- Department of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Seri Iskandar 32610, Perak, Malaysia
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van Campen C(LMC, Visser FC. Psychogenic Pseudosyncope: Real or Imaginary? Results from a Case-Control Study in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Patients. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2022; 58:medicina58010098. [PMID: 35056406 PMCID: PMC8781940 DOI: 10.3390/medicina58010098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background and objectives: Orthostatic intolerance (OI) is a clinical condition in which symptoms worsen upon assuming and maintaining upright posture and are ameliorated by recumbency. OI has a high prevalence in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Exact numbers on syncopal spells especially if they are on a weekly or even daily basis are not described. Although not a frequent phenomenon, this symptomatology is of very high burden to the patient if present. To explore whether patients with very frequent (pre)syncope spells diagnosed elsewhere with conversion or psychogenic pseudosyncope (PPS) might have another explanation of their fainting spells than behavioral psychiatric disorders, we performed a case-control study comparing ME/CFS patients with and without PPS spells. Methods and results: We performed a case-control study in 30 ME/CFS patients diagnosed elsewhere with PPS and compared them with 30 control ME/CFS patients without syncopal spells. Cases were gender, age and ME/CFS disease duration matched. Each underwent a tilt test with extracranial Doppler measurements for cerebral blood flow (CBF). ME/CFS cases with PPS had a significant larger CBF reduction at end tilt than controls: 39 (6)% vs. 25 (4)%; (p < 0.0001). Cases had more severe disease compared with controls (chi-square p < 0.01 and had a p = 0.01) for more postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome in cases compared with controls. PETCO2 end-tilt differed also, but the magnitude of difference was smaller than compared with the CBF reduction: there were no differences in heart rate and blood pressure at either end-tilt testing period. Compared with the test with the stockings off, the mean percentage reduction in cardiac output during the test with compression stockings on was lower, 25 (5) mmHg versus 29 (4) mmHg (p < 0.005). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that in ME/CFS patients suspected of having PPS, or conversion, CBF measurements end-tilt show a large decline compared with a control group of ME/CFS patients. Therefore, hypoperfusion offers an explanation of the orthostatic intolerance and syncopal spells in these patients, where it is clear that origin might not be behavioral or psychogenic, but have a clear somatic pathophysiologic background.
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van Campen C(LMC, Rowe PC, Visser FC. Compression Stockings Improve Cardiac Output and Cerebral Blood Flow during Tilt Testing in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Patients: A Randomized Crossover Trial. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2021; 58:medicina58010051. [PMID: 35056360 PMCID: PMC8781100 DOI: 10.3390/medicina58010051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Orthostatic intolerance (OI) is a clinical condition in which symptoms worsen upon assuming and maintaining upright posture and are ameliorated by recumbency. OI has a high prevalence in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Limited data are available to guide the treatment of OI in ME/CFS patients. We and others have previously described patient-reported subjective improvement in symptoms using compression stockings. We hypothesized that these subjective reports would be accompanied by objective hemodynamic improvements. Materials and Methods: We performed a randomized crossover trial in 16 ME/CFS patients. Each underwent two 15-min head-up tilt table tests, one with and one without wearing knee-high compression stockings that provided 20–25 mm Hg compression. The order of the tests was randomized. We measured heart rate and blood pressure as well as cardiac output and cerebral blood flow (CBF) using extracranial Doppler of the internal carotid and vertebral arteries. Results: There were no differences in supine measurements between the 2 baseline measurements. There were no differences in heart rate and blood pressure at either end-tilt testing period. Compared to the test with the stockings off, the mean percentage reduction in cardiac output during the test with compression stockings on was lower, 15 (4)% versus 27 (6)% (p < 0.0001), as was the mean percentage CBF reduction, 14 (4)% versus 25 (5)% (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: In ME/CFS patients with orthostatic intolerance symptoms, cardiac output and CBF are significantly reduced during a tilt test. These abnormalities were present without demonstrable heart rate and blood pressure changes and were ameliorated by the use of compression stockings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter C. Rowe
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA;
| | - Frans C. Visser
- Stichting CardioZorg, Planetenweg 5, 2132 HN Hoofddorp, The Netherlands
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14
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van Campen C(LMC, Rowe PC, Visser FC. Orthostatic Symptoms and Reductions in Cerebral Blood Flow in Long-Haul COVID-19 Patients: Similarities with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2021; 58:medicina58010028. [PMID: 35056336 PMCID: PMC8778312 DOI: 10.3390/medicina58010028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Symptoms and hemodynamic findings during orthostatic stress have been reported in both long-haul COVID-19 and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), but little work has directly compared patients from these two groups. To investigate the overlap in these clinical phenotypes, we compared orthostatic symptoms in daily life and during head-up tilt, heart rate and blood pressure responses to tilt, and reductions in cerebral blood flow in response to orthostatic stress in long-haul COVID-19 patients, ME/CFS controls, and healthy controls. Materials and Methods: We compared 10 consecutive long-haul COVID-19 cases with 20 age- and gender-matched ME/CFS controls with postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) during head-up tilt, 20 age- and gender-matched ME/CFS controls with a normal heart rate and blood pressure response to head-up tilt, and 10 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Identical symptom questionnaires and tilt test procedures were used for all groups, including measurement of cerebral blood flow and cardiac index during the orthostatic stress. Results: There were no significant differences in ME/CFS symptom prevalence between the long-haul COVID-19 patients and the ME/CFS patients. All long-haul COVID-19 patients developed POTS during tilt. Cerebral blood flow and cardiac index were more significantly reduced in the three patient groups compared with the healthy controls. Cardiac index reduction was not different between the three patient groups. The cerebral blood flow reduction was larger in the long-haul COVID-19 patients compared with the ME/CFS patients with a normal heart rate and blood pressure response. Conclusions: The symptoms of long-haul COVID-19 are similar to those of ME/CFS patients, as is the response to tilt testing. Cerebral blood flow and cardiac index reductions during tilt were more severely impaired than in many patients with ME/CFS. The finding of early-onset orthostatic intolerance symptoms, and the high pre-illness physical activity level of the long-haul COVID-19 patients, makes it unlikely that POTS in this group is due to deconditioning. These data suggest that similar to SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2 infection acts as a trigger for the development of ME/CFS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter C. Rowe
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA;
| | - Frans C. Visser
- Stichting CardioZorg, Planetenweg 5, 2132 HN Hoofddorp, The Netherlands;
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Cerebral blood flow remains reduced after tilt testing in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients. Clin Neurophysiol Pract 2021; 6:245-255. [PMID: 34667909 PMCID: PMC8505270 DOI: 10.1016/j.cnp.2021.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cerebral blood flow in ME/CFS patients remains abnormal 5 min post-tilt test. Post cerebral blood flow abnormalities do not depend on hemodynamic results and on end-tidal carbon dioxide pressures during the tilt-test. Post cerebral blood flow abnormalities are most severe in more severely diseased ME/CFS patients.
Objective Orthostatic symptoms in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) may be caused by an abnormal reduction in cerebral blood flow. An abnormal cerebral blood flow reduction was shown in previous studies, without information on the recovery pace of cerebral blood flow. This study examined the prevalence and risk factors for delayed recovery of cerebral blood flow in ME/CFS patients. Methods 60 ME/CFS adults were studied: 30 patients had a normal heart rate and blood pressure response during the tilt test, 4 developed delayed orthostatic hypotension, and 26 developed postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) during the tilt. Cerebral blood flow measurements, using extracranial Doppler, were made in the supine position pre-tilt, at end-tilt, and in the supine position at 5 min post-tilt. Also, cardiac index measurements were performed, using suprasternal Doppler imaging, as well as end-tidal PCO2 measurements. The change in cerebral blood flow from supine to end-tilt was expressed as a percent reduction with mean and (SD). Disease severity was scored as mild (approximately 50% reduction in activity), moderate (mostly housebound), or severe (mostly bedbound). Results End-tilt cerebral blood flow reduction was −29 (6)%, improving to −16 (7)% at post-tilt. No differences in either end-tilt or post-tilt measurements were found when patients with a normal heart rate and blood pressure were compared to those with POTS, or between patients with normocapnia (end-tidal PCO2 ≥ 30 mmHg) versus hypocapnia (end-tidal PCO2 < 30 mmHg) at end-tilt. A significant difference was found in the degree of abnormal cerebral blood flow reduction in the supine post-test in mild, moderate, and severe ME/CFS: mild: cerebral blood flow: −7 (2)%, moderate: −16 (3)%, and severe :-25 (4)% (p all < 0.0001). Cardiac index declined significantly during the tilt test in all 3 severity groups, with no significant differences between the groups. In the supine post-test cardiac index returned to normal in all patients. Conclusions During tilt testing, extracranial Doppler measurements show that cerebral blood flow is reduced in ME/CFS patients and recovery to normal supine values is incomplete, despite cardiac index returning to pre-tilt values. The delayed recovery of cerebral blood flow was independent of the hemodynamic findings of the tilt test (normal heart rate and blood pressure response, POTS, or delayed orthostatic hypotension), or the presence/absence of hypocapnia, and was only related to clinical ME/CFS severity grading. We observed a significantly slower recovery in cerebral blood flow in the most severely ill ME/CFS patients. Significance The finding that orthostatic stress elicits a post-stress cerebral blood flow reduction and that disease severity greatly influences the cerebral blood flow reduction may have implications on the advice of energy management after a stressor and on the advice of lying down after a stressor in these ME/CFS patients.
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Key Words
- BMI, Body Mass Index
- BSA, Body Surface Area
- CBF, Cerebral blood flow
- CI, Cardiac Index
- Cardiac Index
- Cerebral blood flow
- DBP, Diastolic Blood pressure
- Extracranial Doppler echography
- HR, Heart rate
- ICC, International Consensus Criteria
- ME/CFS
- ME/CFS, Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome
- NormHRBP, normal heart rate and blood pressure response
- Normal heart rate and blood pressure response
- Orthostatic intolerance
- PET, end-tidal pressure
- POTS, Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome
- Post exertional malaise
- Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome
- Recovery
- SBP, Systolic Blood pressure
- Tilt table testing
- VTI, Time velocity integral
- dOH, delayed orthostatic hypotension
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Friend AT, Rogan M, Rossetti GMK, Lawley JS, Mullins PG, Sandoo A, Macdonald JH, Oliver SJ. Bilateral regional extracranial blood flow regulation to hypoxia and unilateral duplex ultrasound measurement error. Exp Physiol 2021; 106:1535-1548. [PMID: 33866627 DOI: 10.1113/ep089196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
NEW FINDINGS What is the central question of this study? Is blood flow regulation to hypoxia different between the internal carotid arteries (ICAs) and vertebral arteries (VAs), and what is the measurement error in unilateral extracranial artery assessments compared to bilateral? What is the main finding and its importance? ICA and VA blood flow regulation to hypoxia is comparable when factoring for vessel type and vessel side. Compared to bilateral assessment, vessels assessed unilaterally had individual measurement errors of up to 37%. Assessing the vessel with the larger resting blood flow, not the left or right vessel, reduces unilateral measurement error. ABSTRACT Whether blood flow regulation to hypoxia is similar between left and right internal carotid arteries (ICAs) and vertebral arteries (VAs) is unclear. Extracranial blood flow is regularly calculated by doubling a unilateral assessment; however, lateral artery differences may lead to measurement error. This study aimed to determine extracranial blood flow regulation to hypoxia when factoring for vessel type (ICAs or VAs) and vessel side (left or right) effects, and to investigate unilateral assessment measurement error compared to bilateral assessment. In a repeated-measures crossover design, extracranial arteries of 44 participants were assessed bilaterally by duplex ultrasound during 90 min of normoxic and poikilocapnic hypoxic (12.0% fraction of inspired oxygen) conditions. Linear mixed model analyses revealed no Condition × Vessel Type × Vessel Side interaction for blood flow, vessel diameter and flow velocity (all P > 0.05) indicating left and right ICA and VA blood flow regulation to hypoxia was similar. Bilateral hypoxic reactivity was comparable (ICAs, 1.4 (1.0) vs. VAs, 1.7 (1.1) Δ%·Δ S p O 2 -1 ; P = 0.12). Compared to bilateral assessment, unilateral mean measurement error of the relative blood flow response to hypoxia was up to 5%, but individual errors reached 37% and were greatest in ICAs and VAs with the smaller resting blood flow due to a ratio-scaling problem. In conclusion, left and right ICA and VA regulation to hypoxia is comparable when factoring for vessel type and vessel side. Assessing the ICA and VA vessels with the larger resting blood flow, not the left or right vessel, reduces unilateral measurement error.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander T Friend
- Extremes Research Group, School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences, College of Human Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK
| | - Matthew Rogan
- Bangor Imaging Unit, School of Psychology, College of Human Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK
| | - Gabriella M K Rossetti
- Extremes Research Group, School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences, College of Human Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK.,Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Neurodynamics, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Justin S Lawley
- Department of Sport Science, Division of Physiology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Paul G Mullins
- Bangor Imaging Unit, School of Psychology, College of Human Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK
| | - Aamer Sandoo
- Extremes Research Group, School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences, College of Human Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK
| | - Jamie H Macdonald
- Extremes Research Group, School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences, College of Human Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK
| | - Samuel J Oliver
- Extremes Research Group, School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences, College of Human Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK
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van Campen CLMC, Rowe PC, Visser FC. Deconditioning does not explain orthostatic intolerance in ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome). J Transl Med 2021; 19:193. [PMID: 33947430 PMCID: PMC8097965 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-021-02819-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Orthostatic intolerance (OI) is a frequent finding in individuals with myalgic encephalomyelitis /chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Published studies have proposed that deconditioning is an important pathophysiological mechanism in various forms of OI, including postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), however conflicting opinions exist. Deconditioning can be classified objectively using the predicted peak oxygen consumption (VO2) values from cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). Therefore, if deconditioning is an important contributor to OI symptomatology, one would expect a relation between the degree of reduction in peak VO2during CPET and the degree of reduction in CBF during head-up tilt testing (HUT). METHODS AND RESULTS In 22 healthy controls and 199 ME/CFS patients were included. Deconditioning was classified by the CPET response as follows: %peak VO2 ≥ 85% = no deconditioning, %peak VO2 65-85% = mild deconditioning, and %peak VO2 < 65% = severe deconditioning. HC had higher oxygen consumption at the ventilatory threshold and at peak exercise as compared to ME/CFS patients (p ranging between 0.001 and < 0.0001). Although ME/CFS patients had significantly greater CBF reduction than HC (p < 0.0001), there were no differences in CBF reduction among ME/CFS patients with no, mild, or severe deconditioning. We classified the hemodynamic response to HUT into three categories: those with a normal heart rate and blood pressure response, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or orthostatic hypotension. No difference in the degree of CBF reduction was shown in those three groups. CONCLUSION This study shows that in ME/CFS patients orthostatic intolerance is not caused by deconditioning as defined on cardiopulmonary exercise testing. An abnormal high decline in cerebral blood flow during orthostatic stress was present in all ME/CFS patients regardless of their %peak VO2 results on cardiopulmonary exercise testing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter C Rowe
- Department of Paediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Frans C Visser
- Stichting CardioZorg, Planetenweg 5, 2132 HN, Hoofddorp, Netherlands
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van Campen CLMC, Rowe PC, Verheugt FWA, Visser FC. Numeric Rating Scales Show Prolonged Post-exertional Symptoms After Orthostatic Testing of Adults With Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 7:602894. [PMID: 33585505 PMCID: PMC7874746 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2020.602894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Muscle pain, fatigue, and concentration problems are common among individuals with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). These symptoms are commonly increased as part of the phenomenon of postexertional malaise (PEM). An increase in the severity of these symptoms is described following physical or mental exercise in ME/CFS patients. Another important symptom of ME/CFS is orthostatic intolerance, which can be detected by head-up tilt testing (HUT). The effect of HUT on PEM has not been studied extensively. For this purpose, we assessed numeric rating scales (NRS) for pain, fatigue, and concentration pre- and post-HUT. As pain is a core symptom in fibromyalgia (FM), we subgrouped ME/CFS patients by the presence or absence of FM. Methods and Results: In eligible ME/CFS patients who underwent HUT, NRS of pain, fatigue, and concentration were obtained pre-HUT, immediately after HUT, at 24 and 48 h, and at 7 days posttest. We studied 174 ME/CFS patients with FM, 104 without FM, and 30 healthy controls (HC). Values for all symptoms were unchanged for HC pre- and post-HUT. Compared with pre-HUT, the three NRS post-HUT were significantly elevated in both ME/CFS patient groups even after 7 days. NRS pain was significantly higher at all time points measured in the ME/CFS patients with FM compared with those without FM. In ME/CFS patients, the maximum fatigue and concentration scores occurred directly post-HUT, whereas pain perception reached the maximum 24 h post-HUT. Conclusion: NRS scores of pain, fatigue, and concentration were significantly increased even at 7 days post-HUT compared with pre-HUT in ME/CFS patients with and without FM, suggesting that orthostatic stress is an important determinant of PEM.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter C Rowe
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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van Campen C(LMC, Rowe PC, Visser FC. Reductions in Cerebral Blood Flow Can Be Provoked by Sitting in Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients. Healthcare (Basel) 2020; 8:healthcare8040394. [PMID: 33050553 PMCID: PMC7712289 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare8040394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: In a large study with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) patients, we showed that 86% had symptoms of orthostatic intolerance in daily life and that 90% had an abnormal reduction in cerebral blood flow (CBF) during a standard tilt test. A standard head-up tilt test might not be tolerated by the most severely affected bed-ridden ME/CFS patients. Sitting upright is a milder orthostatic stress. The present study examined whether a sitting test, measuring cerebral blood flow by extracranial Doppler, would be sufficient to provoke abnormal reductions in cerebral blood flow in severe ME/CFS patients. Methods and results: 100 severe ME/CFS patients were studied, (88 females) and were compared with 15 healthy controls (HC) (13 females). CBF was measured first while seated for at least one hour, followed by a CBF measurement in the supine position. Fibromyalgia was present in 37 patients. Demographic data as well as supine heart rate and blood pressures were not different between ME/CFS patients and HC. Heart rate and blood pressure did not change significantly between supine and sitting both in patients and HC. Supine CBF was not different between patients and HC. In contrast, absolute CBF during sitting was lower in patients compared to HC: 474 (96) mL/min in patients and 627 (89) mL/min in HC; p < 0.0001. As a result, percent CBF reduction while seated was −24.5 (9.4)% in severe ME/CFS patients and −0.4 (1.2)% in HC (p < 0.0001). In the ten patients who had no orthostatic intolerance complaints in daily life, the CBF reduction was −2.7 (2.1)%, which was not significantly different from HC (p = 0.58). The remaining 90 patients with orthostatic intolerance complaints had a −26.9 (6.2)% CBF reduction. No difference in CBF parameters was found in patients with and without fibromyalgia. Patients with a previous diagnosis of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) had a significantly larger CBF reduction compared with those without POTS: 28.8 (7.2)% vs. 22.3 (9.7)% (p = 0.0008). Conclusions: A sitting test in severe ME/CFS patients was sufficient to provoke a clinically and statistically significant mean CBF decline of 24.5%. Patients with a previous diagnosis of POTS had a larger CBF reduction while seated, compared to patients without POTS. The magnitude of these CBF reductions is similar to the results in less severely affected ME/CFS patients during head-up tilt, suggesting that a sitting test is adequate for the diagnosis of orthostatic intolerance in severely affected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- C (Linda) MC van Campen
- Stichting CardioZorg, 2132 HN Hoofddorp, The Netherlands;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +0031-208934125
| | - Peter C. Rowe
- Department of Paediatrics, John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA;
| | - Frans C Visser
- Stichting CardioZorg, 2132 HN Hoofddorp, The Netherlands;
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Bahrani AA, Kong W, Shang Y, Huang C, Smith CD, Powell DK, Jiang Y, Rayapati AO, Jicha GA, Yu G. Diffuse optical assessment of cerebral-autoregulation in older adults stratified by cerebrovascular risk. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2020; 13:e202000073. [PMID: 32533642 PMCID: PMC8824485 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202000073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease (CVD) at early stages is essential for preventing sequential complications. CVD is often associated with abnormal cerebral microvasculature, which may impact cerebral-autoregulation (CA). A novel hybrid near-infrared diffuse optical instrument and a finger plethysmograph were used to simultaneously detect low-frequency oscillations (LFOs) of cerebral blood flow (CBF), oxy-hemoglobin concentration ([HbO2 ]), deoxy-hemoglobin concentration ([Hb]) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) in older adults before, during and after 70° head-up-tilting (HUT). The participants with valid data were divided based on Framingham risk score (FRS, 1-30 points) into low-risk (FRS ≤15, n = 13) and high-risk (FRS >15, n = 11) groups for developing CVD. The LFO gains were determined by transfer function analyses with MAP as the input, and CBF, [HbO2 ] and [Hb] as the outputs (CA ∝ 1/Gain). At resting-baseline, LFO gains in the high-risk group were relatively lower compared to the low-risk group. The lower baseline gains in the high-risk group may attribute to compensatory mechanisms to maintain stronger steady-state CAs. However, HUT resulted in smaller gain reductions in the high-risk group compared to the low-risk group, suggesting weaker dynamic CAs. LFO gains are potentially valuable biomarkers for early detection of CVD based on associations with CAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed A. Bahrani
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Al-Khwarizmi College of Engineering, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Weikai Kong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - Yu Shang
- Shanxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Biomedical Imaging and Big Data, North University of China, Shanxi, China
| | - Chong Huang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - Charles D. Smith
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center (MRISC), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
- Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - David K. Powell
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center (MRISC), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
- Neuroscience Department, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - Yang Jiang
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center (MRISC), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - Abner O. Rayapati
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - Gregory A. Jicha
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center (MRISC), University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
- Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - Guoqiang Yu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
- Correspondence: Guoqiang Yu, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506,
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Lee SMC, Martin DS, Miller CA, Scott JM, Laurie SS, Macias BR, Mercaldo ND, Ploutz-Snyder L, Stenger MB. Venous and Arterial Responses to Partial Gravity. Front Physiol 2020; 11:863. [PMID: 32848835 PMCID: PMC7399573 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Chronic exposure to the weightlessness-induced cephalad fluid shift is hypothesized to be a primary contributor to the development of spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS) and may be associated with an increased risk of venous thrombosis in the jugular vein. This study characterized the relationship between gravitational level (Gz-level) and acute vascular changes. Methods: Internal jugular vein (IJV) cross-sectional area, inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter, and common carotid artery (CCA) flow were measured using ultrasound in nine subjects (5F, 4M) while seated when exposed to 1.00-Gz, 0.75-Gz, 0.50-Gz, and 0.25-Gz during parabolic flight and while supine before flight (0-G analog). Additionally, IJV flow patterns were characterized. Results: IJV cross-sectional area progressively increased from 12 (95% CI: 9–16) mm2 during 1.00-Gz seated to 24 (13–35), 34 (21–46), 68 (40–97), and 103 (75–131) mm2 during 0.75-Gz, 0.50-Gz, and 0.25-Gz seated and 1.00-Gz supine, respectively. Also, IJV flow pattern shifted from the continuous forward flow observed during 1.00-Gz and 0.75-Gz seated to pulsatile flow during 0.50-Gz seated, 0.25-Gz seated, and 1.00-Gz supine. In contrast, we were unable to detect differences in IVC diameter measured during 1.00-G seated and any level of partial gravity or during 1.00-Gz supine. CCA blood flow during 1.00-G seated was significantly less than 0.75-Gz and 1.00-Gz supine but differences were not detected at partial gravity levels 0.50-Gz and 0.25-Gz. Conclusions: Acute exposure to decreasing Gz-levels is associated with an expansion of the IJV and flow patterns that become similar to those observed in supine subjects and in astronauts during spaceflight. These data suggest that Gz-levels greater than 0.50-Gz may be required to reduce the weightlessness-induced headward fluid shift that may contribute to the risks of SANS and venous thrombosis during spaceflight.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jessica M Scott
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
| | | | | | | | - Lori Ploutz-Snyder
- School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Michael B Stenger
- Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Houston, TX, United States
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van Campen CLMC, Rowe PC, Verheugt FWA, Visser FC. Cognitive Function Declines Following Orthostatic Stress in Adults With Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Front Neurosci 2020; 14:688. [PMID: 32670016 PMCID: PMC7332734 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Orthostatic intolerance (OI) is common among individuals with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Cognitive dysfunction has been demonstrated during head-up tilt testing (HUT) in those with ME/CFS: worse scores on cognitive tests occur with increasing tilt angles and increasing complexity of the cognitive challenge. The aim of our study was to determine whether cognitive impairment persists after completion of HUT. Methods and Results Eligible participants were consecutive individuals satisfying criteria for ME/CFS who underwent HUT because of OI. The 2- and 3-back tests were performed before the start of HUT and within 5 min after completion of HUT. We measured the percentage of correct responses and raw reaction times before and after HUT for both the 2- and 3-back tests. We studied 128 ME/CFS patients who underwent HUT and had a complete set of N-back data before and after HUT. Compared to pre-tilt responses, the percentage of correct responses on the 2-back test decreased post-HUT from 77(18) to 62(21) and of the 3-back test from 57(17) to 41(17) (both p < 0.0001). The raw reaction time of the 2-back test increased post-HUT from 783(190) to 941(234) m/s and of the 3-back test from 950(170) to 1102(176) (both p < 0.0001). There was no difference in the N-back test data for subgroups dichotomized based on disease severity, the presence of co-morbid fibromyalgia, or the presence of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Conclusion As measured by the N-back test, working memory remains impaired in adults with ME/CFS following a 30-min head-up tilt test.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter C Rowe
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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van Campen C(LM, Rowe PC, Visser FC. Cerebral Blood Flow Is Reduced in Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients During Mild Orthostatic Stress Testing: An Exploratory Study at 20 Degrees of Head-Up Tilt Testing. Healthcare (Basel) 2020; 8:healthcare8020169. [PMID: 32545797 PMCID: PMC7349207 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare8020169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: In a study of 429 adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), we demonstrated that 86% had symptoms of orthostatic intolerance in daily life. Using extracranial Doppler measurements of the internal carotid and vertebral arteries during a 30-min head-up tilt to 70 degrees, 90% had an abnormal reduction in cerebral blood flow (CBF). A standard head-up tilt test of this duration might not be tolerated by the most severely affected bed-ridden ME/CFS patients. This study examined whether a shorter 15-min test at a lower 20 degree tilt angle would be sufficient to provoke reductions in cerebral blood flow in severe ME/CFS patients. Methods and results: Nineteen severe ME/CFS patients with orthostatic intolerance complaints in daily life were studied: 18 females. The mean (SD) age was 35(14) years, body surface area (BSA) was 1.8(0.2) m2 and BMI was 24.0(5.4) kg/m2. The median disease duration was 14 (IQR 5–18) years. Heart rate increased, and stroke volume index and end-tidal CO2 decreased significantly during the test (p ranging from <0.001 to <0.0001). The cardiac index decreased by 26(7)%: p < 0.0001. CBF decreased from 617(72) to 452(63) mL/min, a 27(5)% decline. All 19 severely affected ME/CFS patients met the criteria for an abnormal CBF reduction. Conclusions: Using a less demanding 20 degree tilt test for 15 min in severe ME/CFS patients resulted in a mean CBF decline of 27%. This is comparable to the mean 26% decline previously noted in less severely affected patients studied during a 30-min 70 degree head-up tilt. These observations have implications for the evaluation and treatment of severely affected individuals with ME/CFS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter C. Rowe
- Department of Paediatrics, John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA;
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van Campen C(LM, Verheugt FW, Rowe PC, Visser FC. Cerebral blood flow is reduced in ME/CFS during head-up tilt testing even in the absence of hypotension or tachycardia: A quantitative, controlled study using Doppler echography. Clin Neurophysiol Pract 2020; 5:50-58. [PMID: 32140630 PMCID: PMC7044650 DOI: 10.1016/j.cnp.2020.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The underlying hypothesis in orthostatic intolerance (OI) syndromes is that symptoms are associated with cerebral blood flow (CBF) reduction. Indirect CBF measurements (transcranial Doppler flow velocities), provide inconsistent support of this hypothesis. The aim of the study was to measure CBF during a 30 min head-up tilt test (HUT), using Doppler flow imaging of carotid and vertebral arteries, in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS), a condition with a high prevalence of OI. METHODS 429 ME/CFS patients were studied: 247 had a normal heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) response to HUT, 62 had delayed orthostatic hypotension (dOH), and 120 had postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). We also studied 44 healthy controls (HC). CBF measurements were made at mid-tilt and end-tilt. Before mid-tilt, we administered a verbal questionnaire to ascertain for 15 OI symptoms. RESULTS End-tilt CBF reduction was 7% in HC versus 26% in the overall ME/CFS group, 24% in patients with a normal HR/BP response, 28% in those with dOH, and 29% in POTS patients (all P < .0005). Using a lower limit of normal of 2SD of CBF reduction in HC (13% reduction), 82% of patients with normal HR/BP response, 98% with dOH and 100% with POTS showed an abnormal CBF reduction. There was a linear correlation of summed OI symptoms with the degree of CBF reduction at mid-tilt (P < .0005). CONCLUSIONS During HUT, extracranial Doppler measurements demonstrate that CBF is reduced in ME/CFS patients with POTS, dOH, and even in those without HR/BP abnormalities. SIGNIFICANCE This study shows that orthostatic intolerance symptoms are related to CBF reduction, and that the majority of ME/CFS patients (90%) show an abnormal cerebral flow reduction during orthostatic stress testing. This may have implications for the diagnosis and treatment of ME/CFS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Freek W.A. Verheugt
- Department of Cardiology, Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis (OLVG), Oosterpark 9, 1091 AC Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Peter C. Rowe
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Frans C. Visser
- Stichting CardioZorg, Planetenweg 5, 2132 HN Hoofddorp, The Netherlands
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