Efficacy of Propranolol, Bisoprolol, and Pyridostigmine for Postural Tachycardia Syndrome: a Randomized Clinical Trial

Postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a form of dysautonomia which presents with complex symptoms including orthostatic intolerance. Several medications are prescribed for POTS; however, the efficacy of sustained medical treatment has not been well-investigated. Here, we conducted a 2 × 2 factorial design, randomized, clinical trial of a 3-month medical treatment regimen in POTS patients. Patients were randomly allocated to 4 treatment groups (Group 1: propranolol; Group 2: bisoprolol; Group 3: propranolol + pyridostigmine; Group 4: bisoprolol + pyridostigmine). The orthostatic intolerance questionnaire (OIQ), Beck depression inventory-II (BDI-II), and short-form health survey (SF-36) were conducted at baseline, 1 and 3 months after treatment. Seventy-seven patients who completed the 3-month follow-up were analyzed. In total, every clinical score improved significantly after medical treatment. The OIQ score was significantly lower than that at baseline (18.5 ± 6.7) after 1 month (12.5 ± 4.5, P < 0.01), which decreased further after 3 months (7.8 ± 5.7, P < 0.01). The OIQ score improvements were consistent across every treatment group. In the subgroup analysis of 59 patients who did not receive antidepressants, the BDI-II score significantly decreased after treatment, regardless of the regimen. Physical components of the SF-36 improved after 3 months in every group, while mental components improved only in Group 3. The amount of changes in each score was similar among groups throughout the comparisons. Sustained medical treatment is beneficial to POTS patients, not only for orthostatic intolerance symptoms but also for depression and diminished quality of life, even without prescriptions for antidepressants. The efficacy of each regimen in POTS patients was comparable. NCT02171988.