Evidence of Autonomic Dysfunction in Patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: Heart Rate Variability and...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Cardiology
• Autonomic Neuroscience

Background:

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease affecting the central nervous system.
• Autonomic dysfunction is a recognized complication in MS, impacting various bodily functions.
• Heart Rate Variability (HRV) analysis offers a non-invasive method to assess autonomic nervous system activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate autonomic dysfunction in patients with relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
• To investigate the utility of time- and frequency-domain Heart Rate Variability (HRV) parameters and cardiovascular functional tests in assessing autonomic control in MS.
• To explore the correlation between HRV deficits and MS disease activity.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 32 patients with relapsing-remitting MS and 26 healthy controls (HC).
• Assessed autonomic function using time- and frequency-domain HRV parameters at rest.
• Utilized conventional cardiovascular tests: deep breathing (DB) and active orthostatic test (AOT).

Main Results:

• MS patients demonstrated significantly decreased HRV at rest compared to HC, evident in both time- and frequency-domain parameters.
• Reduced cardiovascular reactivity was observed in the MS group during DB and AOT.
• Impaired cardio-respiratory synchronization was noted in MS patients at rest and during DB.
• The severity of HRV impairment correlated with MS disease activity.

Conclusions:

• Comprehensive HRV analysis combined with functional cardiovascular tests provides valuable insights into autonomic dysfunction in relapsing-remitting MS.
• Autonomic neurogenic control, encompassing both sympathetic and parasympathetic functions, is generally diminished in MS patients.
• The findings highlight the clinical relevance of assessing autonomic function in the management and understanding of MS progression.