Borman P et al. – A subclinical mainly parasympathetic dysfunction of autonomic nervous system (ANS) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) can be related with disease activity. Methods
Aim was to determine ANS functions by using clinical and electrophysiological tests in AS pts
20 AS and 20 healthy control subjects were recruited
Demographic data, symptoms related with ANS, and neurological findings were recorded
Clinical measurements were obtained to assess parasympathetic and sympathetic functions of the subjects
The electrophysiological assessments of ANS were performed by sympathetic skin response (SSR) and R–R interval variation (RRIV) measurements for the sympathetic and parasympathetic functions, respectively
Results
AS pts were subdivided into 2 groups depending on the activity of disease
The difference between the groups and relationship between ANS variables and clinical entities were determined
15 male and five female AS pts with a mean age of 38y and 14 male and 6 female healthy control subjects with a mean age of 40y were included in the study
All the subjects were totally symptom free for ANS involvement and had normal neurological examination findings
The levels of HRV, HRS, and the mean RRIV values were lower in AS pts vs controls
The clinical ANS parameters of the pts having more active disease were lower than in subjects with mild disease in regard to HRV values and SSR amplitudes and higher in regard to SSR latencies
The HRV values were found to be correlated with the mean scores of Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels
Mean latencies of SSR were correlated with BASDAI scores and CRP levels
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