title: Decreased heart rate variability in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: Autoregressive spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) was performed in 29 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and 33 age-matched healthy subjects to evaluate the involvement of the autonomic nervous system. HRV analysis provides a means to recognize low (LF) and high (HF) frequency components, respectively mediated by sympathetic and parasympathetic heart control. An increase in the mean heart rate at rest (P < 0.001), a decrease in standard deviation of R-R interval as well as in PNN50 (P < 0.001), and an increase in the LF/HF component ratio (P < 0.01) were found in the ALS patients, indicating a vagal-sympathetic imbalance. These alterations were not related to the clinical features and to the duration of the disease. Our results suggest a subclinical involvement of the autonomic nervous system in ALS, particularly affecting parasympathetic cardiovascular control.
authors.affiliation: Neurophysiological Unit, Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, Medical Centre of Rehabilitation, Veruno (NO), Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pisano
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miscio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazzuero
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lanfranchi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pinelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D018475:Head-Down Tilt; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values