title: Autonomic neuropathy in African diabetic patients.
abstract: To determine the prevalence and extent of autonomic neuropathy amongst Africans with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), we investigated 50 such patients at our clinic. Mean age (+/- 1 s.d.) was 26 +/- 6 years, male:female ratio was equal (25M:25F) and duration of diabetes was 4.0 +/- 3.0 years. A battery of six validated tests of autonomic function was performed, testing both sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. Overall 16 (32%) had evidence of autonomic damage, affecting parasympathetic only in 14, and both sympathetic and parasympathetic in two. Those with autonomic neuropathy had a significantly longer diabetes duration than those without (6.0 +/- 2.8 years versus 3.1 +/- 2.7 years, P < 0.005), but there was no difference in glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1) between the two groups. Autonomic neuropathy was also not significantly associated with peripheral neuropathy or other diabetic complications. Autonomic neuropathy carries a poor prognosis in IDDM and this high prevalence in a group of patients with relatively short diabetes duration gives cause for concern.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Baragwanath Hospital, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Tuch
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Huddle
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D044383:Black People; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D013019:South Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin