Study on orthostatic dysregulation and the Schellong test in healthy young females

We carried out a questionnaire survey regarding the symptoms of orthostatic dysregulation (OD) and administered the Schellong test to 301 healthy young females ranging in age from 18 to 21 years. OD was identified in 62 (20.6%) of the subjects based on the questionnaire. Although orthostatic dizziness was relatively common in the entire group of young females (171/301, 56.8%), this symptom was much more prevalent in the subjects with OD (58/62, 93.5%). There was also a highly significant difference between the systolic pressure decrease during the Schellong test procedure in 22 subjects with OD with frequent orthostatic dizziness and that in the 239 subjects without OD. Although the clinical value of the Schellong test in the assessment of OD and other related conditions has been brought into question because of its relatively poor specificity, we conclude that this test procedure may be useful in screening for OD or autonomic nerve dysfunction, since it presents the advantage of easy application in clinical practice.