Influence of Diabetes Duration on Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy in Diabetic Patients

Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) encompasses damage to the autonomic nerve fibers that innervate the heart and blood vessels, resulting in abnormalities in heart rate control and vascular dynamics. Diabetic autonomic neuropathy (DAN) is one of the common complications of diabetes. Autonomic dysfunction can affect daily activities of individuals with diabetes and may invoke potentially life-threatening outcomes. Years of research and clinical testing, now make it possible to objectively identify early stages of CAN with the use of careful measurement of autonomic function and to provide therapeutic choices that are based on symptom control and that might do away with the underlying disorder.

This study analyzed the cardiac autonomic function in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients to know the relation between duration of diabetes and autonomic function.

A cross sectional study was carried out on 100 diagnosed type-2 DM patients from the rural population of Sullia who attended KVG medical college OPD; they were nonsmokers and did not suffer from any cardiopulmonary disease. They were divided in two groups based on disease duration, Group-A had 50 subjects with diabetes for <5 years and Group-B consisted of 50 subjects with >5 years of disease. Cold pressor test and standing test, were done and the findings of two groups were compared. Statistical analysis was done using unpaired t test.

Basal heart rate and blood pressure were higher in the diabetic group than control group (p<0.05). With increased duration of diabetes there was no significant reduction in autonomic function parameters.

Evaluation of cardiovascular reflexes in type 2 DM subjects with paucity of related symptoms constitutes an important feasible and reproducible bedside clinical technique. No significant changes were observed in the autonomic parameters with increased duration of diabetes.