Autonomic function tests in non-insulin dependent diabetic patients and apparently healthy volunteers.
Traditionally accepted symptoms suggestive of autonomic neuropathy (ANP) were elicited in 65 non-insulin dependent diabetic patients attending a diabetic clinic and four autonomic function tests (AFTs) were performed in these diabetics and 60 non-diabetic healthy volunteers. Though 18 (27.6%) diabetics had symptoms of ANP, none of these symptoms were severe. AFTs were abnormal in 30 (46.2%) diabetics and 9 (15%) healthy volunteers. AFT abnormalities in diabetics were found more frequently than symptoms would suggest (21, i.e. 70% of the 30 diabetics did not have symptoms of ANP). There was poor correlation between symptoms of ANP and AFT abnormalities (only 9 of the 18 diabetics with symptoms of ANP had abnormal AFTs). Of the four AFTs performed, R-R variation was the commonest abnormality occurring in 17 of the 30 diabetics with abnormal AFTs. The prevalence of AFT abnormalities did not increase significantly with the duration of diabetes (chi 2 = 0.42; p = 0.8392), but increased significantly with the advancing age of the diabetics (chi 2 = 11.14; p less than 0.005). In healthy volunteers, the test values for standard deviation for R-R variation in deep breathing decreased significantly (p less than 0.05) with the advancing age of the subjects.
Jeyarajah
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R
Samarawickrama
P
P
Jameel
M M
MM
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007024:Hypotension, Orthostatic / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011187:Posture; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014636:Valsalva Maneuver