[Autonomic cardiac neuropathy in dialysis patients and kidney insufficiency patients]

The variation of the pulse rate under deep breathing was tested for its suitability in getting informations on the intactness of the autonomous regulation of the heart rate in dialysis patients and those with chronic renal insufficiency. 26 dialysis patients and 17 patients with chronic renal insufficiency with a serum creatinine over 500 mumol/l were examined in comparison to 28 healthy control persons and a group of 10 long-term diabetics, in whom a distinct lesion of the autonomous nervous system could be assumed. Statistically ascertained in the long-term diabetics as well as in the dialysis patients and patients with renal insufficiency a distinct decrease of the frequency modulation could be shown which renders possible a clear separation of the groups. The correlation of the modulation of the frequency to age is unequivocally to be proved only in control persons. It becomes obliterated by the conditions of the disease. The clear lesions in the autonomous regulation of the heart in the groups of patients examined are significant for a number of clinical phenomena and allow conclusion to the necessary regimen of treatment.