Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is a cardinal feature of autonomic failure in multiple system atrophy (MSA); however, there are few comparative data on OH in the motor subtypes of MSA. In the present retrospective study, postural blood pressure drop after 3 min of standing was determined in 16 patients with the cerebellar variant of MSA (MSA-C) and in 17 patients with the Parkinson variant (MSA-P). Twenty idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) patients matched for age, sex, disease duration and dopaminergic therapy served as control group. OH frequency and severity were more pronounced in MSA-C followed by MSA-P and IPD. Differences in brainstem pathology are likely to account for the tight association of MSA-C and OH. A simple standing test should be obligatory in the work-up of patients with sporadic late-onset ataxias.