In order to further advance our knowledge of all the mysteries of the Earth, scientists must perform experiments and research. Dr. David Kem is one of these scientists looking for answers. He and other researchers from the University of Oklahoma and Vanderbilt University have been looking closely at POTS patients and the possibility of their condition being autoimmune (The Dysautonomia Dispatch 1). The article from Dysautonomia International was published February 25th, 2014 in regards to the actual lab work done and it appears in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Dr. David Kem worked at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center for his Clinical Studies. In order to prove that POTS is an autoimmune condition, Dr. David Kem
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David Kem examined his fourteen patients with POTS, with an addition of ten healthy patients, by using a receptor-transfected cell-based assay. This assay helps detect whether the alpha and beta adrenergic receptor autoantibodies, the two types of AR autoantibodies, are present in a POTS patient (JAHA abstract). The two autoantibodies cause an abnormal heart rate responses when the patients get tested for the autoimmune condition (The Dysautonomia Dispatch 2). Every POTS patient tested reacted the way a normal autoimmune patient would, causing Dr. David Kem to believe that POTS is most definitely an autoimmune condition. Although this test proves it to be true, Dr. David Kem needs further testing with more patients to make it absolute, which he plans to do. With the information he has gathered, Dr. David Kem had noticed that there are two groups of autoantibodies in the POTS patients. The second group of autoantibodies affects patients differently. Instead of dropping the blood pressure when the patient stands like the first group of autoantibodies does, the second group increases the heart rate (The Dysautonomia Dispatch 2). Autoantibodies are antibodies, proteins created in order to protect you from pathogens, which turn against your own cells and attack, interfere, or damage the healthy cells in your cells (The Dysautonomia Dispatch 2). The two different types, alpha and beta, adrenergic receptors are present on the surface of cells and send “signals” by catecholamine to do whatever its “message” tells it to do (The Dysautonomia Dispatch 1). Catecholamine is a chemical present in the body. Adrenergic receptors wouldn’t be too bad if it weren’t for the fact that what POTS patients have, is adrenergic receptor autoantibodies, meaning that your body is getting signals to do the opposite of what you need it to do. For example, instead of constricting your blood vessels, the AR autoantibodies allow your blood pressure to drop when you stand, causing you to get
David Kem examined his fourteen patients with POTS, with an addition of ten healthy patients, by using a receptor-transfected cell-based assay. This assay helps detect whether the alpha and beta adrenergic receptor autoantibodies, the two types of AR autoantibodies, are present in a POTS patient (JAHA abstract). The two autoantibodies cause an abnormal heart rate responses when the patients get tested for the autoimmune condition (The Dysautonomia Dispatch 2). Every POTS patient tested reacted the way a normal autoimmune patient would, causing Dr. David Kem to believe that POTS is most definitely an autoimmune condition. Although this test proves it to be true, Dr. David Kem needs further testing with more patients to make it absolute, which he plans to do. With the information he has gathered, Dr. David Kem had noticed that there are two groups of autoantibodies in the POTS patients. The second group of autoantibodies affects patients differently. Instead of dropping the blood pressure when the patient stands like the first group of autoantibodies does, the second group increases the heart rate (The Dysautonomia Dispatch 2). Autoantibodies are antibodies, proteins created in order to protect you from pathogens, which turn against your own cells and attack, interfere, or damage the healthy cells in your cells (The Dysautonomia Dispatch 2). The two different types, alpha and beta, adrenergic receptors are present on the surface of cells and send “signals” by catecholamine to do whatever its “message” tells it to do (The Dysautonomia Dispatch 1). Catecholamine is a chemical present in the body. Adrenergic receptors wouldn’t be too bad if it weren’t for the fact that what POTS patients have, is adrenergic receptor autoantibodies, meaning that your body is getting signals to do the opposite of what you need it to do. For example, instead of constricting your blood vessels, the AR autoantibodies allow your blood pressure to drop when you stand, causing you to get