English

Abstract

ABSTARCT: Autonomic neuropathy has been reported in patients with alcoholic liver disease but information on its occurrence in patients with non-alcoholic liver disease is contradictory. To make the things more clear the present study was conducted to assess autonomic functions in patients with non-alcoholic liver disease and its relationships with the severity of liver damage. Autonomic function using five standard tests was examined in 50 cirrhotics. The extent of autonomic dysfunction was determined in the patients and a comparison between the characteristics of patients with and without autonomic neuropathy was made. Out of 50 patients 35 (70%) were found to have autonomic neuropathy The alteration of the parasympathetic function [20 out of 35(57%)] was significantly more frequent than that of sympathetic function [15(43%)]. The prevalence of autonomic neuropathy was more (80%) in patients with Child-Pugh grade C cirrhosis as compared to those having Child-Pugh grade B cirrhosis (54%). The results were clinically significant but statistically insignificant (p>0.05). It was seen that out of total 50 cases of non alcoholic cirrhosis, the majority (68%) were due to hepatitis C infection. A high prevalence of abnormalities in both sympathetic and parasympathetic function tests, and a poor relationship with liver function parameters, has been found in patients with non-alcoholic chronic liver disease.