SHORT DURATION HEAD-UP TILT TEST: A COMPARISON WITH CONVENTIONAL LONG PROTOCOL IN PATIENTS OF ORTHOSTATIC INTOLERANCE

Authors

  • Humaira Fayyaz Khan
  • Muhammad Amjad Hameed
  • Umar Ali Khan

Abstract

Background: Orthostatic intolerance is development of symptoms during upright standing relieved by
recumbency. An individual's predisposition to orthostatic intolerance (development of symptoms
during upright posture) can be identified by Head-up Tilt Test (HUT). The aim of the present study was
to compare the diagnostic yield (Percentage of patients tested positive) of short duration with
conventional HUT. Methods: The study was conducted in Islamic International Medical College,
Rawalpindi in collaboration with Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology/National Institute of Heart
Diseases. A total number of 100 patients with orthostatic intolerance were studied. The conventional
and short duration HUT protocols were compared. Conventional protocol had a passive tilt phase of 30
minutes and drug provocation phase of 20 minutes while the short duration protocol had both phases of
15 minutes, thereby reducing the test duration by 20 minutes. All patients underwent short duration
HUT and patients with positive test were considered positive for conventional HUT as well. Patients
having negative short duration HUT underwent conventional HUT after one week. Comparison was
done using Chi-square statistics and p<0.05 was considered significant. Results: Diagnostic yield of
short duration and conventional HUT was 53% and 63% respectively with no statistically significant
difference between the two protocols (p=0.15). Conclusions: Head-up tilt test (HUT) is an effective
investigative tool for orthostatic intolerance with satisfactory diagnostic yield. Short duration HUT may
be substituted for conventional HUT to save time and to accommodate more patients.
Keywords: Orthostatic intolerance, Head-up tilt test, Nitroglycerine

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How to Cite

Khan, H. F., Hameed, M. A., & Khan, U. A. (2010). SHORT DURATION HEAD-UP TILT TEST: A COMPARISON WITH CONVENTIONAL LONG PROTOCOL IN PATIENTS OF ORTHOSTATIC INTOLERANCE. Journal of Ayub Medical College Abbottabad, 22(4), 78–80. Retrieved from https://jamc.ayubmed.edu.pk/index.php/jamc/article/view/2714

Issue

Vol. 22 No. 4 (2010): JOURNAL OF AYUB MEDICAL COLLEGE, ABBOTTABAD

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE

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