Refractory temporal lobe epilepsy was associated with lower heart rate variation during normal breathing (p=0.006) and tilting (p=0.043) compared to healthy controls.
Case-Control (n=76)
Does temporal lobe epilepsy alter cardiovascular autonomic responses compared to healthy controls?
p-value: p=0.006
PURPOSE: To measure interictal cardiovascular autonomic functions in patients with either refractory or well-controlled temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). METHODS: For autonomic assessment, heart rate variation during normal and deep breathing, Valsalva maneuver, and tilting were measured in 19 patients with chronic refractory TLE, 19 patients with well-controlled TLE, and 38 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. Blood pressure responses to tilting and isometric work also were evaluated. RESULTS: Heart-rate (HR) variation during normal breathing (p = 0.006) and tilting (p = 0.043) was lower in patients with refractory TLE than in control subjects. Heart-rate response to tilting (p = 0.036) was also lower in patients with well-controlled TLE than in control subjects. Blood-pressure responses showed no differences between the patients and the control subjects. Patients taking carbamazepine (CBZ) medication had decreased HR responses to deep breathing (p = 0.046) and to tilting (p = 0.014) compared with the control subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Refractory TLE seems to be associated with dysfunction of the cardiovascular autonomic regulation, manifesting as impaired HR responses to certain stimuli. Interictal autonomic dysfunction is seen in patients with well-controlled TLE as well, but it may be more evident in patients with refractory epilepsy. CBZ medication may also be associated with altered autonomic cardiac control.
Ansakorpi et al. (Fri,) conducted a case-control in Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) (n=76). Temporal lobe epilepsy vs. Healthy control subjects was evaluated on Heart rate variation during normal and deep breathing, Valsalva maneuver, and tilting (p=0.006). Refractory temporal lobe epilepsy was associated with lower heart rate variation during normal breathing (p=0.006) and tilting (p=0.043) compared to healthy controls.