Autonomic Dysfunction In Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Objective: To determine autonomic function of patients with inflammatorybowel disease, and provide the measurement to diagnose inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) and disease activity, monitor the effect of clinical treatment.Methord:80patients with active IBD including50ulcerative colitis (UC),30crohn’s disease (CD) and53healthy people (Control) were involved in the study.Autonomic nervous function was determined: Postural blood pressure change andSustained handgrip test were performed to test sympathetic nerve function, andValsalva maneuver, Lying to standing heart rate response for vagus nerve functionResult:1. Postural blood pressure change of IBD was higher but Sustainedhandgrip test and Lying to standing heart rate response were lower than that ofControl.2. The Postural blood pressure change with mild IBD was lower than thatwith moderate IBD, while the Sustained handgrip test、Valsalva maneuver and Lyingto standing heart rate response with mild IBD were higher than those with moderateIBD.Conclusion: IBD patients show autonomic dysfunction, with elevatedsympathetic function but decreased vagus function. The degree of autonomicdysfunction of IBD patients is correlated with disease activity.