Autonomic Dysfunction in Patients with Bartonella henselae IgM Seroreactivity: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Bartonella henselae infection has been associated with a broad spectrum of neurological and autonomic manifestations, although its impact on autonomic nervous system function remains insufficiently characterized, and the aim of this study was to evaluate autonomic function in patients with polymorphic symptoms and Bartonella henselae IgM seroreactivity. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 75 patients were compared with 75 age- and sex-matched healthy controls, and all participants underwent cardiovascular autonomic reflex testing, short-term (5 min) and long-term (24 h) heart rate variability analysis, and 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, while head-up tilt testing was performed in the Bartonella group. Results: Abnormal autonomic reflex tests were significantly more frequent in the Bartonella IgM-seroreactive group, particularly those reflecting parasympathetic function, while heart rate variability analysis demonstrated reduced high-frequency components and lower long-term variability indices, and head-up tilt testing revealed heterogeneous hemodynamic responses including orthostatic hypotension and pronounced blood pressure variability, with ambulatory monitoring additionally showing higher nighttime blood pressure values and reduced nocturnal dipping. Conclusions: These findings indicate a consistent pattern of autonomic imbalance characterized predominantly by parasympathetic impairment and altered blood pressure regulation in patients with Bartonella henselae IgM seroreactivity, although further studies are required to clarify underlying mechanisms and clinical implications.