Abstract.
Forty-five patients with clinically manifest diabetes mellitus were investigated (25 male, 20 female, 48 ± 10 yrs, 14 diabetes type 1, 31 type 2). Duration of manifestation was 12.2 ± 9.7 yrs.
Vibration thresholds and thermal thresholds were assessed. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was measured during deep respiration at 6/min. The QTc-interval was assessed according to Bazett's formula. MIBG-SPECT was carried out in all 45 cases. Patients with abnormal MIBI perfusion scintigraphy had previously been excluded from the study. RSA was abnormal in 12/45 patients. The MIBG-SPECT was abnormal in 28/45 cases with dorso-septal lack of activity. No difference was seen between type 1 and 2 diabetics with regard to either vibration and thermal thresholds or RSA and MIBG-SPECT. Abnormal MIBG-SPECT was correlated with vibration threshold and abnormal heart RSA tests but not with abnormality in QTc. The mean QTc-interval was 419 ± 24 ms (QTc normal in 36, abnormal ≥ 440ms in 9). It was longer in female than in male patients. There exists no significant correlation of QTc-interval results with either heart rate variability or MIBG-SPECT. The QTc-interval is not a sensitive parameter of autonomic cardiac denervation.
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Received: 18 May 2001, Accepted: 3 June 2002
Correspondence to D. Claus
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Claus, D., Meudt, O., Rozeik, C. et al. Prospective investigation of autonomic cardiac neuropathy in diabetes mellitus. Clin Auton Res 12, 373–378 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10286-002-0046-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10286-002-0046-6