Autoimmune contribution in sensory and autonomic disorders - version 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Autoimmune Contribution in Symptom-based Sensory and Autonomic Disorders (ACSSAD)
IRAS ID
352817
Contact name
David Andersson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King’s College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS) is a condition that affects the part of the nervous system responsible for controlling automatic body functions, such as heart rate and blood pressure. It is especially common in young women. People with PoTS often feel lightheaded, have a racing heart, or experience blurred vision when standing up. Some may even faint. However, PoTS can also cause a wide range of other symptoms, including ongoing pain, extreme tiredness, digestive and bladder problems, and migraines, which can have a big impact on quality of life.
The exact cause of PoTS is still unknown, but there is growing evidence that the immune system might be involved. This is partly because PoTS often starts after a viral infection, and some people with the condition have certain immune markers called autoantibodies. These are also found in autoimmune diseases, where the body mistakenly attacks its own tissues.
Previous research at King’s College London into chronic pain conditions, like fibromyalgia, has shown that these autoantibodies, when transferred to mice, can affect how nerves function and may be responsible for causing pain. Researchers now want to find out whether a similar process might be happening in PoTS.
This study will investigate how nerves function in people with PoTS, both with and without widespread chronic pain, and compare them to people with fibromyalgia and healthy volunteers. The researchers will also transfer autoantibodies from participants into mice to see if this can reproduce symptoms, like pain, and examine the differences in nerve function between groups.
The aim of this research is to better understand the links between nerve damage, pain, the immune system, fibromyalgia and PoTS, and to help pave the way for new treatment options.REC name
North West - Greater Manchester East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/NW/0118
Date of REC Opinion
20 May 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion