TY - JOUR
T1 - The venoarteriolar reflex in diabetic and other neuropathies
AU - Moy, Sefton
AU - Opfer-Gehrking, Tonette L.
AU - Proper, Carol J.
AU - Low, Phillip A.
PY - 1989/11
Y1 - 1989/11
N2 - Limb dependency activates the venoarteriolar reflex (VAR), resulting in reflex vasoconstriction (RV). Since others have reported the VAR to fail in diabetic neuropathy, we examined the reliability of this test in detecting sympathetic failure in diabetic and other neuropathies. We studied 40 controls, 49 diabetic subjects, and 29 patienta with other neuropathies. The mean RV was greater in controls than in diabetics or other neuropathies, but there were marked overlaps among groups. We conclude that the VAR, while impaired in the neuropathies, is of little value as a clinical test and is a poorer test of autonomic function than the quantitative sudomotor axon reflex test or heart rate responses to deep breathing or the Valsalva maneuver.
AB - Limb dependency activates the venoarteriolar reflex (VAR), resulting in reflex vasoconstriction (RV). Since others have reported the VAR to fail in diabetic neuropathy, we examined the reliability of this test in detecting sympathetic failure in diabetic and other neuropathies. We studied 40 controls, 49 diabetic subjects, and 29 patienta with other neuropathies. The mean RV was greater in controls than in diabetics or other neuropathies, but there were marked overlaps among groups. We conclude that the VAR, while impaired in the neuropathies, is of little value as a clinical test and is a poorer test of autonomic function than the quantitative sudomotor axon reflex test or heart rate responses to deep breathing or the Valsalva maneuver.
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U2 - 10.1212/wnl.39.11.1490
DO - 10.1212/wnl.39.11.1490
M3 - Article
C2 - 2812329
AN - SCOPUS:0024853802
SN - 0028-3878
VL - 39
SP - 1490
EP - 1492
JO - Neurology
JF - Neurology
IS - 11
ER -