Assessing sympatho-vagal balance in schizophrenia through Tone-Entropy analysis

Although schizophrenia patients more likely commit suicide, however, more than two thirds of patients with schizophrenia, compared with approximately one-half in the general population, die of coronary heart disease (CHD). The aim of this study, therefore, is to determine whether Tone-Entropy (T-E) analysis method can determine how and to what extend the symaptho-vagal balance is altered with the severity of psychiatric disorders as determined by Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale. Tone represents sympatho-vagal balance and entropy, the autonomic regularity activity. This study included 32 high-GAF, 32 low-GAF and 118 healthy control subjects. Evaluated tones and are significantly (p<;0.01) different among three groups. The significantly higher tone and lower entropy in the low-GAF group might suggest altered sympatho-vagal balance which could predict increasing risks of cardiovascular death.