DYSAUTONOMIA FOLLOWING ACUTE ISCHEMIC STROKES: A SINGLE INSTITUTIONAL EXPERIENCE

Volume 12 , Issue 1 , March 2022 , Pages 39-49

Authors

Aso Sabir Shekhbzeni 1

1 Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Hawler, Kurdistan Region, Iraq.

DOI logo 10.17656/jsmc.10342

Keywords

Abstract

Background
Many studies have found that patients with ischemic stroke can develop autonomic system disturbances,
affecting the heart, causing different types of arrhythmias and even sudden death.
Objectives
To analyze the occurrence of cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction and cardiac arrhythmias after acute
ischemic stroke.
Patients and Methods
This case-controlled study was conducted at the Rizgary Teaching Hospital from July 1st, 2018, to September
30th, 2019. Fifty patients with acute ischemic stroke were enrolled consecutively and were age-matched and
gender-matched with a group of 50 individuals (control group). Four bedside autonomic function tests (deep
breathing, heart rate response to standing, isometric handgrip test, and blood pressure response to standing)
were used to assess autonomic dysfunction during the acute post-stroke phase. In addition, all patients and
controls underwent 24-hour Holter cardiac monitoring.
Results
Although abnormal autonomic function testing was more frequent in post-stroke cases than in healthy
controls, there was no statistically significant difference in these results among stroke sub-groups. There
were more arrhythmias in patients with stroke in comparison with the control group; premature ventricular
and atrial contractions were more frequent in stroke patients than in the control group (P-value <0.001 and
P-value<0.001, respectively).
Conclusion
Cardiac dysautonomia is common in patients with acute ischemic stroke, and cardiac dysrhythmias are
commonly encountered in patients with insular infarctions. Whether these dysrhythmias are life-threatening
or not, further analytic studies are required to uncover their clinical significance.

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  • Published at21 March 2022

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