EEG Characteristics in Youth POTS and/or Syncope

Study Summary

Orthostatic intolerance refers to symptoms that occur with standing and improve or resolve with recumbency. Few studies have evaluated orthostatic intolerance symptoms by electroencephalography (EEG), and none of those studies have focused on the adolescent-aged patient. This study will compare EEG characteristics and sweat rate during head-upright tilt (HUT) testing among patients with postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and patients with syncope without POTS. Patients with POTS will also undergo a separate HUT with abdominal and lower extremity compression. The primary aim of this study is to characterize video EEG changes that correspond with orthostatic intolerance in youth during HUT testing. The investigators hypothesize that the clinical encephalopathy related to POTS and referred to as 'brain fog' will have an electrographic correlate. Secondary aims include (1) EEG comparisons of POTS symptoms with and without abdominal and lower extremity compression during HUT, (2) correlation between sweat rate and EEG changes during HUT, and (3) analysis of EEG characteristics that distinguish syncope with POTS from syncope without POTS. The investigators hypothesize that POTS patients have prolonged syncopal prodromes (compared to syncope patients without POTS) which are protective of syncope during daily activities.