Changes in Heart Rate Variability and Complexity in Young Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus after A 17 Month Follow-Up

Abstract

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate short-term changes in cardiovascular autonomic dysregulation in young patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). Repeated analysis of spontaneous heart rate oscillations (heart rate variability - HRV) was conducted at baseline and after a follow-up period of 17 month. R-R intervals were recorded over 1h in the supine position and heart rate signal was quantified using standard time and frequency domain and short-term complexity measures. During the follow-up measurement the low frequency oscillations of heart rate were significantly elevated (p = 0.03) and sample entropy values reduced (p = 0.03) compared with the baseline measurement. HRV measures were significantly negatively correlated with the duration of DM. In conclusion, the data indicate that cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy progresses in relatively short time frames and depends on the duration of DM. Its progression is associated with glycemic control. Complexity and variability analyses of heart rate provide a sensitive tool for the detection and follow-up of cardiovascular autonomic dysregulation in patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus.