Analysis of heart rate variations in patients with multiple sclerosis. A simple measure of autonomic nervous disturbances using an ordinary ECG

Abstract

A simple method requiring only an ordinary ECG apparatus and a ruler has shown a hitherto unknown abnormality of the autonomic nervous system in patients with multiple sclerosis. The main findings were that both long-term and short-term variations in heart rate were reduced in patients with multiple sclerosis. The reduction was comparable with that observed in other patients with autonomic abnormalities - for example, long-term diabetics - but in addition patients with multiple sclerosis presented unexpected large shifts in pulse rate levels, lasting from a few to 10 or 20 beats.