Classical autonomic function tests in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with different HbA1c levels: A comparative study

Introduction: Autonomic dysfunction is one of the sequels in type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and various diagnostic tests have been developed for assessing it. Analysis of classical autonomic function test is one among them. Aims and Objectives: To compare the classical autonomic function tests in good control, poor control and very poor control type 2 diabetes mellitus. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted at the PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India, on 30 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.HbA1c investigations was done for all 30 patients. Average age of the Diabetic patients was 48.53 ± 5.12 (Mean ± SD). After obtaining informed, written consent, cardiorespiratory parameters such as resting heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure were measured after 10 min of supine rest. Autonomic function parameters such as HR and blood pressure response to handgrip, deep breathing difference test, and Valsalva ratio were recorded in them. Results: Statistical analysis was done using students’s t-test, which showed statistically non-significant impairment between good control and poor control and very poor control subjects. Conclusion: Results of this study showed autonomic impairment was present in all 3 groups of Type 2 diabetes and statistically not significant differences in impairment were noticed between the groups. This showed autonomic impairment starts and persists from the onset of type 2 diabetes. Keywords: Type 2 diabetes, HbA1c, Classical autonomic function tests.