Prevalence of central autonomic neuropathy in elderly dialysis patients

Autonomic neuropathy is frequently present in dialysis patients. In addition, deterioration of autonomic function occurs with ageing. This study examines the true prevalence of autonomic neuropathy in elderly dialysis patients and questions whether the combination of age and uraemia further increases the chance of dysautonomia being present.

We compared the results of five different tests (30:15 ratio; Valsalva ratio; heart rate response to deep breathing and the blood pressure responses to sustained hand grip and standing) of parasympathetic and combined parasympathetic and sympathetic dysfunction in older haemodialysis patients (mean age 70.2 years), younger haemodialysis patients (mean age 48.1 years) and two groups of subjects with normal renal function (mean age 73.0 years and 42.5 years respectively).

Parasympathetic dysfunction was most prevalent in older patients on dialysis (65.9% (95% confidence intervals 51.4-80.4%), compared with 33.3% (95% confidence intervals 19.0-47.5% in younger dialysis patients), and 11.8 and 0% in the old and young control groups respectively). Combined parasympathetic and sympathetic dysfunction was seen in 41.5% (95% confidence intervals 26.5-56.5%) and 11.9% (95% confidence intervals 2.1-56.5%) of the old and young dialysis patients respectively but not in any of the control subjects. No interaction was seen between age and subject type.

We conclude that although older dialysis patients have severe impairment of cardiovascular autonomic innervation, the prevalence of dysfunction is not higher than would be expected in an ageing population with uraemia.