European Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine

Background: The incidence of autonomic dysfunction has increased in the presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and various tools have been developed for assessing it. Classical autonomic function tests are one among them. Autonomic nervous system (ANS) innervates almost all organ systems and is primarily involved with homeostatic regulatory mechanisms. The important functions of ANS are maintenance of homeostatic conditions of the body; regulation of visceral activities; smoothening body’s responses to environmental changes, stress, and exercise; and assisting endocrine system to regulate various functions.  Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Physiology, Tertiary Care teaching Hospital over a period of 1 year. Involves participants with T2DM (n = 70) and healthy volunteers (n = 70) with an age range of 30-60 years of both genders. Subjects ranging from 30 to 60 years of both genders who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus for 3 years duration were recruited for the study. The controls were normal healthy volunteers in the same age group. The cases were selected from diabetology OPD and endocrinology OPD according to the inclusion criteria. The controls were selected from medical OPD who were non diabetic healthy volunteers. Details of present history, treatment history were obtained. Result: There was no significance in age between cases and controls as the p value was 0.2789. The mean SDNN of cases was 29.88 ± 3.99 and for controls was 37.65 ± 4.69. The difference in SDNN between cases and controls were significant as the p value was < 0.05. The mean RMSSD of cases was 20.61± 16.81 and for controls was 22.65 ± 3.85. The difference in RMSSD between diabetics and non - diabetics were significant as the p value was < 0.05. The mean VLF % of cases was 88.75 ± 12.75 and for controls was 80.35 ± 8.59. The difference in VLF % between cases and controls was significant as the p value was < 0.05. The mean rise in DBP after hand grip in cases was 5.25 ± 0.58 and for controls was 12.18 ± 3.94. Conclusion: Results of this study concluded that cardiac autonomic dysfunction was present in LT2DM patients without CAN (based on conventional autonomic test) characterized by predominant parasympathetic nerve function impairment and sympathetic overactivity.