ABSTRACT
Objective: We studied the efficacy of the power spectral and nonspectral analysis and its diurnal variations for the early detection of the diabetic autonomic neuropathy. METHOD: The spectral and nonspectral analysis of 24hour-Holter monitoring were done for both diabetic neuropathy patients and controls. We also made a comparative analysis of the diurnal variations between the patient and control groups by means of hourly power spectral analysis. RESULT: 1) The power spectral density of the diabetic neuropathy patients was below than that of the normal controls (P<0.05) (Table 2, Fig. 1). 2) The nonspectral analysis of the diabetic neuropathy patients was below than that of the normal controls except for the mean RR intervals (P<0.05) (Table 3). 3) Every hour-power spectral analysis showed a diurnal variation of day time (06:00 to 16:00) decrease in high frequency area of the normal controls. On the contrary, there was a disappearance of the diurnal variation in patient group. CONCLUSION: The power spectral and nonspectral analyses after 24hour-Holter monitoring and its diurnal variation in the diabetic patients are considered as good means of the early detection of autonomic neuropathy, but further study of its diagnostic value will be needed.