[Autonomic dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (respiratory and cardiac disturbances) (author's transl)]

Except for rectal, vesical and sexual disorders almost nothing is known about disturbances of autonomic functions in multiple sclerosis. MS plaques, however, do not spare vegetative centres and spinal tracts. Therefore autonomic disorders are to be expected in other functional ranges as well. We could not confirm the study of Neubauer and Gundersen (1978) who found the short time variability and the long time variability of pulse rate to be significantly diminished in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis. Our investigation, however, revealed frequent occurrence of rigid, paradoxical and atactic courses of the patients' graphs obtained by "averaging" the pulse rate alterations dependent on respiration. We consider this to be an indication of cardio-respiratory hyposynergia in precision regulations. As compared with the normal control group the patients' respiratory rate was significantly raised, and this was almost exclusively due to an abbreviated time of inspiration. Concerning the pulse rate and the pulse-breathing quotient the patients did not differ significantly from the healthy controls. The findings in 40 MS patients (definite diagnosis) and in 40 healthy persons point to the fact that cardio-respiratory disorders are no rare occurrence.