Autonomic impairment in rheumatoid arthritis International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases, 04/30/2012

van Rensburg DCJ et al. – An inability of the autonomic nervous system to efficiently compensate for internal and external environmental changes may predispose rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients to arrhythmias, thereby increasing cardiovascular mortality. All three methods used showed the same outcome, implying decreased heart rate variability (HRV) and thus an increased risk for arrhythmias in RA patients. Evaluating the autonomic nervous system might be critical in planning management of RA patients.