POTS after HPV vaccination

Post-HPV-vaccination POTS was already a known phenomenon, thanks to the research of Dr. Svetlana Blitshteyn, who first reported it in 2014 [1].

Now a larger study from Denmark examined 53 more patients believed to have developed POTS and/or orthostatic intolerance and generalized dysautonomia after vaccination against HPV. According to the authors,

"...the main finding of our study was a high degree of consistency in the symptoms experienced by these patients." The most common symptoms reported were headaches, excessive fatigue, cognitive dysfunction and widespread pain of a neuropathic character."

Here are some of their findings:

Headache, 100% Orthostatic intolerance, 96% Fatigue, 96% Cognitive dysfunction, 89% Disordered sleep, 85% Visual disturbances, 70% Nausea, 91% Bloating, 77% Abdominal pain, 70% Changes in bowel habits, 55% Neuropathic pain, 65% Tremor or twitches, 66% Chest tightness/pain or air hunger, 66% Skin disorders, 64% Limb weakness, 57% Vascular abnormalities, 51% Irregular periods, 48% Hyperventilation, 34%

Symptoms reported by post-vaccination POTS and OI patients

Headache 100%
 
Orthostatic intolerance 96%
 
Fatigue 96%
 
Nausea 91%
 
Cognitive dysfunction 89%
 
Disordered sleep 85%
 
Bloating 77%
 
Visual disturbances 70%
 
Abdominal pain 70%
 
Tremor or twitches 66%
 
Chest tightness/pain or air hunger 66%
 
Neuropathic pain 65%
 
Skin disorders 64%
 
Limb weakness 57%
 
Changes in bowel habits 55%
 
Vascular abnormalities 51%
 
Irregular periods 48%
 
Hyperventilation 34%
 

Note: these percentages are for all of the patients studied. 53% of were diagnosed with POTS, and those patients tended to have slightly higher rates for almost every symptom, however, the exact numbers weren't made available in the article.

Their study doesn't prove that HPV vaccines cause POTS, but they do suspect that POTS and dysautonomia were side-effects.

Why it matters

As the authors note, knowing that POTS is a possible side-effect of HPV vaccination can help patients get faster diagnoses and treatment. It can also help direct future research to figure out what causes POTS. Disorders triggered by vaccines are often thought to have an autoimmune component.

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Sources

  1. Blitshteyn S (2014) Postural tachycardia syndrome following human papillomavirus vaccination. European Journal of Neurology 1: 135-139
  2. Brinth L, Theibel AC, Pors K, Melhsen J (2015) Suspected side effects to the quadrivalent human papilloma vaccine. Danish Medical Journal 62(4):A5064

Tags

autoimmune symptoms vaccination