title: Changes of autonomic nervous system function in patients with breath-holding spells treated with iron.
abstract: To evaluate the autonomic nervous system of patients with breath-holding spells after iron treatment, we attempted to determine whether a dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system reflexes exists in children with severe cyanotic breathholding spells. An electrocardiogram for each subject was recorded for 24 hours in the subject's home and parasympathetic activity was investigated by the fast Fourier transform method. Hematologic data and clinical symptoms of all three patients treated with iron improved and attacks of severe breath-holding spells disappeared. After iron treatment was started, the heart rate variability increased during sleep. It appears that supplementation of iron is effective in improving the dysregulation of autonomic nervous system reflexes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Gifu University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Orii
authors.forename: Zenichiro
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Fukutomi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Osamu
authors.forename: Michinori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Funato
authors.forename: Uniko
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kubodera
authors.forename: Ryosuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shimozawa
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kondo
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007501:Iron / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014168:Transferrin; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron