Distribution of Cardiovascular Dysautonomia Pattern across Different Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease

Context: Autonomic dysfunction (AD) brings up cardiovascular morbidity/mortality and has been reported in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Still, the pattern of AD in CKD is elusive. Aim: To evaluate the distribution of cardiovascular dysautonomia in CKD. Material and Methods: This study was conducted on 33 CKD cases and 30 age and sex matched healthy controls. Five standard autonomic function tests were conducted, namely, heart rate response to Valsalva maneuver, deep breathing, and standing, and BP response to standing and sustained handgrip; based on which the patients were classified as normal, or having early parasympathetic, definite parasympathetic and combined damage. The total autonomic function score was also calculated. Results: All cases belonged to CKD stages of 3, 4, and 5; and came up with autonomic failure. The mean total autonomic function score was higher ( P < 0.001) in CKD (5.09 ± 2.33) as compared to the control group (0.97 ± 0.24), using the unpaired “t” test. Most of the CKD patients (45.45%) were involved with combined damage. Of the three stages, combined damage struck stage 5 to the maximum extent (63.63%). Sympathetic failure always co occurred with parasympathetic failure. Conclusion: Combined autonomic failure is more conspicuous in late CKD, predominantly occurring in stage 5. The disease course may contort the parasympathetic system before the sympathetic system.