Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39546154›Full record

Trial reportClinical autonomic research : official journal of the Clinical Autonomic Research Society2025

Sympathetic nerve activity and response to physiological stress in Takotsubo syndrome.

Christina Ekenbäck, Jonas Persson, Per Tornvall, Lena Forsberg, Jonas Spaak

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Clinical autonomic research : official journal of the Clinical Autonomic Research Society, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Takotsubo syndrome: Unraveling the mystery behind its triggers (Review).International journal of molecular medicine · 2025
    Review
  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Christina EkenbäckDivision of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. christina.ekenback@ki.se.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4401-7117
Jonas PerssonDivision of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Per TornvallDepartment of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Lena ForsbergDepartment of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Jonas SpaakDivision of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Funding

Hjärt-Lungfonden 20160775Hjärt-Lungfonden 20160782Hjärt-Lungfonden 20190535Hjärt-Lungfonden 20200797
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe prevailing hypothesis posits that Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is caused by massive sympathetic activation, yet supporting evidence remains inconsistent. The objectives of the present study were to determine whether sympathetic activity and reactivity are enhanced in the recovery phase of TTS, and to evaluate the effect of selective β1-receptor blockade on sympathetic reactivity.

methodsWe conducted a case-control study that included 18 female patients with TTS and 13 age- and sex-matched controls. Muscle sympathetic nerve activity was measured through microneurography of the peroneal nerve at rest and during the cold pressor test. In the TTS group, recordings were repeated after randomisation to intravenous metoprolol or placebo. In 10 TTS patients, cardiac sympathetic activity was assessed using iodine 123-metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy. Blood samples were collected during hospitalisation.

resultsMicroneurography was performed a median of 27.5 days after patient admission. There were no significant differences in burst incidence, burst frequency, burst height or burst area between the TTS patients and the controls at rest, during stress or after administration of intravenous metoprolol. Iodine 123-metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy was performed a median of 12.5 days after admission, revealing decreased early 1.54 ± 0.13 and late 1.40 ± 0.13 heart-to-mediastinum ratios, and an increased washout rate of 41.8 ± 12.1%. Catecholamine metabolites were comparable between the study groups.

conclusionGeneral sympathetic hyperactivity or hyperreactivity unlikely contributes to TTS, as catecholamine levels and muscle sympathetic nerve activity at rest and during stress were similar between the TTS patients and the controls. As scintigraphy showed increased cardiac sympathetic activity, a pathological cardiac adrenergic response and vulnerability to sympathetic activation may be crucial for the development of the syndrome.

Indexed as

Stress, PhysiologicalSympathetic Nervous SystemTakotsubo CardiomyopathyAdrenergic beta-1 Receptor AntagonistsAgedCase-Control StudiesFemaleHumansMetoprololMiddle AgedAdrenergic beta-1 Receptor AntagonistsMetoprololCardiac sympathetic activityIodine 123-metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphyMicroneurographyMuscle sympathetic nerve activityTakotsubo syndrome

Identifiers

PMID39546154
PMCPMC12000160

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.