Takahashi H, Matsuo S, Toriyama T, Kawahara H, Hayano J-I
Sudden cardiac death and autonomic nerve dysfunction in hemodialysis patients
Am Soc Nephrol
J Am Soc Nephrol (abstract) (Nov) 6:564 1995

The causes for sudden cardiac death in dialysis patients are not known. Heart rate variability, which is a marker for parasympathetic and sympathetic autonomic dysfunction, was studied in 20 healthy controls, 23 HD patients who survived more than 3 years after cardiac cath, and 8 patients who subsequently died of sudden cardiac death. The high frequency power spectrum was reduced in sudden cardiac death patients, suggestive of decreased cardiac parasympathetic tone. Also, there was no nocturnal increase in parasympathetic tone as reflected by heart rate variability.

Comment: Left ventricular hypertrophy may impact on heart rate variability. So it is not known if altered heart rate variability is a specific indicator for cardiac sudden death, or merely an index that reflects some other cardiac structural abnormality. (Daugirdas)

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Am Soc Nephrol
CRF by organ system : Cardiovascular/Hypertension