Autonomic neuropathy in Iraqi diabetics

ABSTRACT

Tests for autonomic nervous functions based on cardiovascular reflexes were performed on 67 diabetic patients with a mean age of 53.39 year. The mean duration of diabetes is 8.26 year. The patients were categorized into 4 groups; normal [35.28%], early [borderline] parasympathetic damage [5.97%] definite [late] parasympathetic damage [35.82%] and combined sympathetic and parasympathetic damage [22.39%]. 64.18% of the patients have autonomic neuropathy and as these abnormalities can be easily diagnosed with an ordinary electrocardiography, we recommend that they be looked for in all diabetics