Valsalva maneuver, and blood pressure response (BPR) to standing up and to a ... only in diabetic patients with definite and severe degrees of autonomic.
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Standardization autonomic function(1997) tests 30:197-205 Brazilian Journal of of cardiovascular Medical and Biological Research ISSN 0100-879X
Standardization of a computerized method for calculating autonomic function test responses in healthy subjects and patients with diabetes mellitus C. Neumann and H. Schmid
Serviço de Endocrinologia, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, 90035-007 Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
Abstract Correspondence H. Schmid Rua Felipe Neri, 296/301 90440-150 Porto Alegre, RS Brasil Fax: 55 (051) 332-2083 Research supported by CNPq and FAPERGS.
Received October 6, 1994 Accepted December 5, 1996
The objectives of the present study were 1) to compare results obtained by the traditional manual method of measuring heart rate (HR) and heart rate response (HRR) to the Valsalva maneuver, standing and deep breathing, with those obtained using a computerized data analysis system attached to a standard electrocardiograph machine; 2) to standardize the responses of healthy subjects to cardiovascular tests, and 3) to evaluate the response to these tests in a group of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). In all subjects (97 healthy and 143 with DM) we evaluated HRR to deep breathing, HRR to standing, HRR to the Valsalva maneuver, and blood pressure response (BPR) to standing up and to a sustained handgrip. Since there was a strong positive correlation between the results obtained with the computerized method and the traditional method, we conclude that the new method can replace the traditional manual method for evaluating cardiovascular responses with the advantages of speed and objectivity. HRR and BPR of men and women did not differ. A correlation between age and HRR was observed for standing (r = -0.48, P
