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POTS And Lupus: Is There A Link?

In this article, we will take a close look at the relationship between Lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease, and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), a condition affecting circulation. We will explain the pathophysiology of how Lupus can potentially lead to POTS, preventive measures, and also discuss the possibility of POTS causing Lupus.

Jakub Gwiazdecki

Author - Jakub Gwiazdecki

Fifth year medical student at the Medical Faculty of Comenius University in Bratislava.

Jakub used MediSearch to find sources for this blog.
MediSearch gives instant answers to medical questions based on 30 million scientific articles.

What is POTS?

POTS stands for postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. This condition is characterized by an abnormally fast heart rate when standing up.

The highest incidence of POTS is among women in their 20s [1].

Clinically, POTS can be diagnosed based on the head-up tilt test. If the result of this test show an increase of more than 30 beats per minute or a heartbeat faster than 120, it is suggestive of POTS [2, 3].

Among the symptoms of POTS are:

  • problems with concentration,
  • severe fatigue,
  • palpitations,
  • heaviness in the legs,
  • lightheadedness [4, 5].

Also, patients with POTS can experience pre-syncope and syncope [5].

What is lupus?

Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disorder. In this disease, the immune system produces antibodies against against the body's own tissues. The antibodies lead to systemic inflammation, causing damage to healthy tissues [6, 7].

This disease affects mostly women and has a prevalence of less than 1% [8].

Lupus can vary in severity from mild to severe. It can affect any part of the body [9].

A characteristic of lupus is periods of symptoms worsening and improvement. Among the symptoms of lupus are:

  • joint pain,
  • joint swelling,
  • skin rashes,
  • hair loss,
  • ulcers in the mouth,
  • fever,
  • photosensitivity,
  • problems with the kidneys [10, 11].

At the moment, no cure for lupus exists. The management is focused on the reduction of inflammation and symptoms [7].

Can lupus cause POTS?

Yes, lupus can lead to POTS. POTS is indeed associated with autoimmune diseases, such as lupus [12].

However, suffering from lupus does not automatically lead to POTS. Having lupus increases only the chances of getting POTS, as chronic inflammation can disturb blood pressure regulation.

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