Frans Visser

Prof. dr. F.C. (Frans) Visser is a Dutch cardiologist and researcher. He studied Medicine at the Leiden University and graduated in 1977. His cardiology training was in VU Medical Center (VUMC) Amsterdam, Netherlands, and registered as a cardiologist in July 1982. Cardiologist and Professor by special appointment at VUMC in Amsterdam, and acting tutor at the cardiology A study at VUMC. An university lecturer Chair regarding myocardial metabolism in cardiac failure. Since 2008 working in the independent treatment center Cardiozorg, Hoofddorp. Initially cooperating with the CFS/ME Medical Center in Amsterdam, an area of interest arose alongside cardiology in chronic fatigue syndrome.

His research interests include exercise limitation, orthostatic intolerance, and dysautonomia.

Advocacy

Open letters

• 19 June 2018, Visser signed an open letter to the editor of The Lancet urging the editor to commission a fully independent review of the PACE trial, which the journal published in 2011.
• 28 August 2019, Trial By Error: an open letter to Dr Godlee about BMJ’s ethically bankrupt actions, by David Tuller

Notable studies

• 2010, Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome performed worse than controls in a controlled repeated exercise study despite a normal oxidative phosphorylation capacity - (Full Text)
• 2016, Chronic fatigue syndrome in women assessed with combined cardiac magnetic resonance imaging - (Full Text)
• 2018, The Abnormal Cardiac Index and Stroke Volume Index Changes During a Normal Tilt Table Test in ME/CFS Patients Compared to Healthy Volunteers, are Not Related to Deconditioning - (Full text)
• 2018, Blood Volume Status in ME/CFS Correlates With the Presence or Absence of Orthostatic Symptoms: Preliminary Results - (Full text)
• 2018, Blood Volume Status in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Relation to Complaints - (Full text)
• 2018, Low Sensitivity of Abbreviated Tilt Table Testing for Diagnosing Postural Tachycardia Syndrome in Adults With ME/CFS - (Full text)
• 2019, Open Trial of Vitamin B12 Nasal Drops in Adults With Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Comparison of Responders and Non-Responders - (Full text)
• 2020, Cerebral blood flow is reduced in ME/CFS during head-up tilt testing even in the absence of hypotension or tachycardia: A quantitative, controlled study using Doppler echography - (Full text)
• 2020, Cerebral Blood Flow Is Reduced in Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients During Mild Orthostatic Stress Testing: An Exploratory Study at 20 Degrees of Head-Up Tilt Testing - (Full text)
• 2020, Two-Day Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Females with a Severe Grade of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Comparison with Patients with Mild and Moderate Disease - (Full text)
• 2020, Reductions in Cerebral Blood Flow Can Be Provoked by Sitting in Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients - (Full text)

Clinic location

• Stichting Cardio Zorg, Hoofddorp, The Netherlands

Online presence

• PubMed

Talks and interviews

• 2013, Science For Patients series - 21. ME/cfs and the heart / ME/cvs en het hart - Prof. Dr. Frans Visser
• 2013, Science For Patients series - 22. ME/cfs and palpitations / ME/cvs en hartkloppingen - Prof. Dr. Frans Visser
• 2013, Science For Patients series - 23. ME/cfs and cardiac arrhythmias / ME/cvs en hartritmestoornissen - Prof. Dr. Frans Visser
• 2013, Science For Patients series - 24. ME/cfs and POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) / ME/cfs en POTS (postureel orthostatisch tachycardie syndroom) - Prof. Dr. Frans Visser
• 2013, Science For Patients series - 25. ME/cfs and the blood flow in the brain / ME/cvs en de bloedstroom in de hersenen - Prof. Dr. Frans Visser
• 2013, Science For Patients series - 26. ME/cfs and neuropsychological symptoms / ME/cvs en neuropsychologische symptomen - Dr. M. Vollema (guest lecturer)
• 2013, Science For Patients series - 27. ME/cfs and orthostatic intolerance / ME en ortostatische intolerantie - Prof. Dr. Frans Visser
• 2017, CFS/ME Research Collaborative Conference, Speech title: Orthostatic Intolerance in CFS/ME - (Video)

See also

• Linda van Campen
• Orthostatic intolerance
• Cerebral blood flow
• Tilt table test

myalgic encephalomyelitis (M.E.) - A disease often marked by neurological symptoms, but fatigue is sometimes a symptom as well. Some diagnostic criteria distinguish it from chronic fatigue syndrome, while other diagnostic criteria consider it to be a synonym for chronic fatigue syndrome. A defining characteristic of ME is post-exertional malaise (PEM), or post-exertional neuroimmune exhaustion (PENE), which is a notable exacerbation of symptoms brought on by small exertions. PEM can last for days or weeks. Symptoms can include cognitive impairments, muscle pain (myalgia), trouble remaining upright (orthostatic intolerance), sleep abnormalities, and gastro-intestinal impairments, among others. An estimated 25% of those suffering from ME are housebound or bedbound. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies ME as a neurological disease.

cerebral blood flow (CBF) - the amount of blood that goes through the arterial tree in the brain in a given amount of time

tachycardia An unusually rapid heart beat. Can be caused by exercise or illness. A symptom of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). (Learn more: www.heart.org)

cerebral 1. of or relating to the brain or the intellect 2. of, relating to, affecting, or being the cerebrum.

stress Stress can by either physical or psychological, or both. Stress is either 1) a state of emotional or psychological strain or 2) the physical stress (pressure or tension) that a physical object such the human body is placed under, e.g., a stress test is a medical test that monitors the cardiovascular system during strenuous exercise.

orthostatic intolerance (OI) - The development of symptoms when standing upright, where symptoms are relieved upon reclining. Patients with orthostatic intolerance have trouble remaining upright for more than a few seconds or a few minutes, depending upon severity. In severe orthostatic intolerance, patients may not be able to sit upright in bed. Orthostatic intolerance is often a sign of dysautonomia. There are different types of orthostatic intolerance, including postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).