NCT05421208

Cardiovascular Autonomic and Immune Mechanism of Post COVID-19 Tachycardia Syndrome

Recruiting now NA Last updated 20 January 2026

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Levels of inflammatory cytokine ( IL-6) in post-COVID-19 POTS and controls in Post-acute COVID-19 Syndrome in 60 participants. Currently enrolling.

Timeline

1 June 2022

Primary endpoint
30 June 2026

30 June 2027

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Phase	NA
Status	Recruiting now
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	single
Primary purpose	diagnostic
Enrollment	60
Start date	1 June 2022
Primary completion	30 June 2026
Estimated completion	30 June 2027
Sites	1 location across United States

Drugs / interventions tested

• Levels of inflammatory cytokine ( IL-6) in post-COVID-19 POTS and controls
• Levels of inflammatory cytokine ( IL-6) in controls
• Effect on inflammation after chronic PNS stimulation

Conditions studied

• Post-acute COVID-19 Syndrome — all drugs for Post-acute COVID-19 Syndrome →
• Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) — all drugs for Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) →
• Long COVID — all drugs for Long COVID →
• SARS CoV 2 Infection — all drugs for SARS CoV 2 Infection →

Sponsor

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Who can join

18 and older, any sex, with Post-acute COVID-19 Syndrome or Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

The term post-acute COVID-19 syndrome or Long COVID is a disabling syndrome that persists beyond the 3-month convalescence period after COVID-19 infections.

This syndrome affects mostly women (\~80%), present with chronic tachycardia and Orthostatic intolerance symptoms without any identifiable cause. In addition, non-specific symptoms such as fatigue, headache, and "brain fog", commonly described in POTS patients are also present in this novel condition, recently named post-COVID-19 tachycardia syndrome, POTS variant.

Reduced Vagal activity and unresolved inflammation is post-COVID-19 POTS is hypothesized as the cause of Long COVID

Publications & conference data

4 peer-reviewed publications reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. Long COVID: Complications, Underlying Mechanisms, and Treatment Strategies.
   Zadeh FH, Wilson DR, Agrawal DK. · · 2023 · cited 36× · PMID 37388279 · DOI 10.26502/ami.93650103
2. Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome in COVID-19: A Contemporary Review of Mechanisms, Clinical Course and Management.
   Narasimhan B, Calambur A, Moras E, Wu L, et al · · 2023 · cited 14× · PMID 37204997 · DOI 10.2147/vhrm.s380270
3. Non-invasive Vagus Nerve Simulation in Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.
   Chakraborty P, Farhat K, Morris L, Whyte S, et al · · 2023 · cited 6× · PMID 38173801 · DOI 10.15420/aer.2023.20
4. Case-control study of autonomic symptoms in the setting of Long COVID with tilt table testing.
   Durstenfeld MS, Mataraarachchi N, Peluso MJ, Levkova-Clark M, et al · · 2025 · PMID 41134786 · DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0335218