title: Cardiac autonomic function in fibrocalculous pancreatic diabetes.
abstract: Cardiac autonomic function was evaluated in 23 patients with fibrocalculous pancreatic diabetes (FCPD). Though none of the patients had any symptoms referable to autonomic dysfunction, 5 had abnormal heart rate responses. The variability in the heart rate in response to deep breathing was the earliest abnormality found in our patients. Four of the 5 patients had clinical evidence of neuropathy while all 5 had retinopathy and overt nephropathy. We therefore conclude that the autonomic nervous system can be involved in patients with FCPD even as early as 2 years after the onset of the disease, and thus that evaluation of the autonomic nervous system should be part of the routine evaluation of all patients with FCPD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Govindan
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011187:Posture; D014636:Valsalva Maneuver