title: The Association between Symptoms of Autonomic Neuropathy and the Heart Rate Variability in Diabetics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are few tools to detect the diabetic autonomic neuropathy at an earlier stage. This study was conducted to investigate the association between symptoms of autonomic neuropathy and the heart rate variability (HRV) in diabetics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study subjects consisted of 50 diabetic patients and 30 outpatient hospital control patients at a university family medicine department. The patients completed a Korean version of composite autonomic symptom scale (COMPASS). Electrocardiography was recorded in the supine position, on standing, and during deep breathing, for 5 minutes each. HRV of frequency domain was calculated by power spectral analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The COMPASS score was higher in female diabetic patients compared with that in controls. Among 50 diabetic patients, the total COMPASS score correlated positively with normalized low frequency (LF) score (normalized units, n.u.) (r = 0.62, P < 0 .001) and low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) (r = 0.77, P < 0.001), negatively with normalized HF score (n.u.) (r = -0.59, P < 0.001) and RMSSD (square root of the mean of the sum of the square of differences between adjacent NN interval; r = -0.33, P = 0.031). The decrease in LF (n.u) and the increase in HF (n.u) by deep breathing from the supine position were higher in diabetic patients compared with those in controls. The increase in LF (n.u) and the decrease in HF (n.u) by standing from the supine position were lower in diabetic patients compared with those in controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The COMPASS score correlated with some component score of the HRV in diabetics. The HRV may be used as a tool to detect diabetic autonomic neuropathy by augmentation with position change.
authors: Department of Global Medical Science, Sungshin Women's University College of Nursing, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Min-Young
authors: MY
authors: Chun
authors: Hoon-Ki
authors: HK
authors: Park
authors: Hwan-Sik
authors: HS
authors: Hwang
authors: Jae-Il
authors: JI
authors: Han
authors: Young-Joon
authors: YJ
authors: Chee
authors: Jong-Sill
authors: JS
authors: Lee