AUTONOMIC NERVE ANTIBODIES AND AUTONOMIC NERVE FUNCTION IN TYPE-1 AND TYPE-2 DIABETIC-PATIENTS

Complement-fixing adrenal medulla (CF-ADM), sympathetic ganglion (CF-SG), and vagal (CF-V) nerve antibodies were determined in diabetic patients. Among 74 patients with Type 1 diabetes, CF-ADM was detected in 7 (10 %) cases, CF-SG in 14 (19 %) cases, and CF-V in 8 (11 %) cases. Among 38 patients with Type 2 diabetes, CF-ADM was detected in 5 (13 %) cases, CF-SG in 4 (11 %) cases, and CF-V in 6 (16 %) cases. There were associations between autonomic nerve antibodies and autonomic nerve function. CF-ADM and/or CF-SG were significantly (P < 0.002) less prevalent in Type 1 diabetic patients with autonomic neuropathy than in those without [5/44 (11 %) vs. 14/30 (47 %)] and, in agreement with this, the brake index, a sign of parasympathetic and sympathetic autonomic nerve function, was significantly (P < 0.005) higher (more normal) in these patients (-0.56 +/- 0.13 vs. - 1.04 +/- 0.12). In Type 2 diabetic patients, the E/I ratio, an index of parasympathetic nerve function, was significantly (P < 0.03) lower (more abnormal) in those with CF-V than in those without (- 1.81 +/- 0.17 vs. - 1.20 +/- 0.11). In conclusion, the frequency of sympathetic nerve antibodies was decreased in Type 1 diabetic patients with autonomic neuropathy, while in Type 2 diabetic patients parasympathetic nerve antibodies were related to severe parasympathetic neuropathy.