Autonomic function in cirrhosis assessed by cardiovascular reflex tests and 24-hour heart rate variability.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To assess the prevalence of autonomic dysfunction in cirrhosis and to observe the effect of disease severity on autonomic dysfunction.

METHODS:

Seventy patients with cirrhosis (Child's class A, 42; Child's class B, 10; and Child's class C, 15) (45 alcoholic, 15 primary biliary cirrhosis, five chronic active hepatitis, and eight idiopathic) underwent standard cardiovascular reflex tests. In addition, in 40 patients, 24-h ECG RR variability tests were performed to detect autonomic dysfunction.

RESULTS:

Forty-two of 70 (60%) patients had abnormalities of cardiovascular reflex function of varying severity, whereas 24 of 34 (70%) had 24-h RR counts with the 95% age-related tolerance. The prevalence of abnormality increased with increasing severity of liver disease but not with different etiologies.

CONCLUSION:

Irrespective of etiology, there is a high prevalence of autonomic dysfunction in cirrhosis, and it is related to disease severity: the mechanism is unknown.

• Authors: J F Dillon, J N Plevris, J Nolan, D J Ewing, J M Neilson, I A Bouchier, P C Hayes
• Journal: The American journal of gastroenterology (Am J Gastroenterol) Vol. 89 Issue 9 Pg. 1544-7 (Sep 1994) ISSN: 0002-9270 [Print] United States
• PMID: 8079935 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Topics

• Autonomic Nervous System Diseases (diagnosis, epidemiology, etiology)
• Blood Pressure (physiology)
• Electrocardiography, Ambulatory
• Female
• Heart Rate (physiology)
• Humans
• Liver Cirrhosis (complications, physiopathology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Prevalence
• Reflex, Abnormal (physiology)