Cardiovascular autonomic function tests in type 2 diabetes mellitus with micro albuminuria

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in type2 diabetes (DM). Microalbuminuria (MA) is strongly associated with cardiovascular complications in type2 diabetes. Impaired cardiovascular autonomic function and increased albumin excretion are related in patients with diabetes. So this study is designed to investigate the relationship between cardiovascular autonomic function and microalbuminuria in type2 diabetes. Methods: The study comprised of 180 subjects of age group > 50 years, classified into 3 groups of 60 subjects each. DM without MA, DM with MA and controls. The tests performed were 1) Heart rate response to deep breathing, valsalva maneuver and standing; 2) Blood pressure response to standing and to sustained handgrip. Individual tests were given score of 0, 1, or 2 and an overall autonomic test score of 0-10 was obtained. Results: Mean autonomic score in control, DM without MA and DM with MA are 1.97 ± 0.81, 5.73 ± 1.26 and 7.00 ± 1.80 respectively. The Coefficient of variation (%) of control, DM without MA, DM with MA is 41.1, 21.9 and 25.7 respectively. A significant difference in autonomic score was observed in the DM without MA (P < 0.01) and DM with MA (P < 0.01) when compared to controls. Conclusion: In conclusion type2 diabetic individuals should be diagnosed early to prevent disease progression to microalbuminuria and thus minimize complications.