Postural Sway and Counterpressure Maneuvers for Pediatric Syncope
Key facts
- Where
- Burnaby, CanadaSee the site
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 6 and 18 years old?
Source: NCT05633693, who can take part
Where in Canada
- Simon Fraser UniversityBurnaby, CanadaContact: Victoria Claydon, PhDTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorTrial details
- Who runs it
- Simon Fraser University
- Trial code
- NCT05633693
- Record updated
- 23 April 2026
- Original description
The investigators are interested in whether discrete counterpressure maneuvers, or muscle movements in the lower body, will boost blood pressure and cardiovascular control in children who faint. We will record cardiovascular responses to maneuvers of exaggerated sway, leg crossing, crouching, and gluteal muscle tensing in children who faint (N=20), as well as their height, weight, muscularity, and pubertal (Tanner) stage. Autonomic cardiovascular control will be measured using a Valsalva manoeuvre (expiration against a closed airway for 20 seconds) and a supine-stand test. The primary outcomes are noninvasive measures of cardiovascular responses to the maneuvers (blood pressure, cerebral blood flow, and stroke volume (volume of blood pumped per heartbeat). Comparisons will be made across levels of sex, diagnosis, Tanner stage, muscularity, height, and degree of autonomic control.Read full original descriptionShow less
Impact of Postural Sway on Cardiovascular Control in Pediatric Patients With Syncope
The investigators are interested in whether discrete counterpressure maneuvers, or muscle movements in the lower body, will boost blood pressure and cardiovascular control in children who faint. We will record cardiovascular responses to maneuvers of exaggerated sway, leg crossing, crouching, and gluteal muscle tensing in children who faint (N=20), as well as their height, weight, muscularity, and pubertal (Tanner) stage. Autonomic cardiovascular control will be measured using a Valsalva manoeuvre (expiration against a closed airway for 20 seconds) and a supine-stand test. The primary outcomes are noninvasive measures of cardiovascular responses to the maneuvers (blood pressure, cerebral blood flow, and stroke volume (volume of blood pumped per heartbeat). Comparisons will be made across levels of sex, diagnosis, Tanner stage, muscularity, height, and degree of autonomic control.
Inclusion: We are looking for English speaking pediatric patients aged 6-18 years with a diagnosis of recurrent fainting (at least two episodes of fainting with loss of consciousness or near loss of consciousness in the last year) of a vasovagal origin or associated with the postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) (as determined by a paediatric cardiologist) to take part in this study.
Exclusion: Known history of:; New presentation of a seizure disorder OR epilepsy recurrence; Structural heart disease; Cardiovascular disease including hypertension, diabetes, or renal disease; Suspected or confirmed cardiac arrhythmia (e.g., Wolff-Parkinson-White, Long QT); Physical and/or psychological disability that impact their ability to complete the tests; Female participants of childbearing age will be excluded if they are pregnant, or think they might be. Participants who are taking any cardiovascular acting medications, including treatment for cardiovascular disease, or medications for orthostatic syncope (e.g. fludrocortisone, slow-release sodium chloride, β-blockers, midodrine) will be excluded from the study; In order to reduce the likelihood of transmission of COVID-19, participants will only be eligible to participate in the study if they have received full immunisation against COVID-19 according to current Health Canada guidelines. Accordingly, participants will be asked to provide evidence of their vaccination status in order to take part in the study; Those with a diagnosis of recurrent fainting accompanied by any of the following will not be eligible to take part:; Traumatic head injury; Overdose or intoxication; Hypoglycemia.