[Cardiovascular effects in diabetic autonomic neuropathy]

34 IDDM patients (17 hypertensive, 17 normotensive) were studied by using a noninvasive cardiovascular autonomic function test. The total average incidence of abnormal autonomic function test results was 31.7%. The average incidence of abnormal parasympathetic autonomic function test results was 40.5%, and that of abnormal sympathetic function test results was 22.9%. No significant difference (P greater than 0.05) appeared between the hypertensive and normotensive groups. This study suggests that the cardiovascular autonomic function test is useful in diagnosing autonomic neuropathy in IDDM patients.