The prevalence of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy and its influence on post induction hemodynamic variables in patients with and without diabetes; A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) is a known complication of diabetes, but is also diagnosed in patients without diabetes. CAN may be related to perioperative hemodynamic instability. Our objective was to investigate if patients with diabetes would have a higher prevalence of CAN compared to patients without diabetes undergoing surgery. We further studied its relation to changes in post-induction hemodynamic variables. METHODS: We prospectively included 82 adult patients, 55 with DM, 27 without DM, scheduled for major abdominal or cardiac surgery. Patients performed four autonomic function tests on the day before surgery. Primary outcomes were the prevalence of CAN and the relation between CAN and severe post-induction hypotension, defined as mean arterial pressure (MAP) < 50 mmHg or ≥ 50% decrease from baseline. Secondary outcomes were the relation between CAN, intraoperative hypotension, MAP < 65 mmHg for more than 13 minutes, and the use of vasopressor therapy. RESULTS: The prevalence of CAN in patients with or without DM was 71% versus 63%, (p = 0.437). CAN was not associated with severe post induction hypotension (CAN+ vs. CAN–: 21% vs. 19.2%, p = 0.819) nor with intraoperative hypotension (16% vs. 15%, p = 0.937). Patients with definite CAN received more norepinephrine in the perioperative period compared to patients with mild CAN or no CAN (0.07 mcg kg(-1) min(-1) (0.05–0.08) vs. 0.03 (0.01–0.07) vs. 0.02 (0.01–0.06) respectively, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients studied had mild to moderate CAN, regardless of the presence of DM. Assessing CAN before surgery did not identify patients at risk for post induction and intraoperative hypotension in our cohort. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Dutch Trial Registry (www.trialregister.nl) NTR4976.