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Cardiovascular reflexes in patients with malignant disease
R Martin1, J M Delgado, J M Moltò
1Neurological Department, Hospital Virgen de los Lirios, Alcoy, Spain.
Italian Journal of Neurological Sciences
|March 1, 1992
Summary
Patients with malignant diseases, including carcinoma and lymphoma, exhibit significant autonomic dysfunction. This study found impaired cardiovascular reflexes in cancer patients compared to healthy individuals, indicating a clear link.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Neurology
- Cardiology
Background:
- Autonomic dysfunction has been anecdotally reported in malignant disease.
- Systematic studies investigating autonomic function in cancer patients are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically investigate autonomic function in patients with carcinoma or lymphoma.
- To compare cardiovascular reflex responses in cancer patients versus healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Assessed autonomic function in 48 patients with carcinoma or lymphoma.
- Tested cardiovascular reflexes, including heart rate and blood pressure responses.
- Compared patient data with 62 healthy volunteers.
Main Results:
- Cancer patients exhibited a reduced heart rate increase and a greater blood pressure fall upon standing.
- Patients showed a diminished blood pressure rise during contralateral handgrip.
- A higher prevalence of sympathetic lesions (54.2% vs 27.4%) and global autonomic impairment (50% vs 24.2%) was observed in the patient group.
Conclusions:
- Patients with malignant diseases demonstrate definite autonomic dysfunction.
- Impaired cardiovascular reflexes are indicative of autonomic nervous system involvement in cancer.