Autonomic and sensory nerve dysfunction in primary biliary cirrhosis

Table 1 Results of cardiovascular reflex tests and 24-h heart rate variability (HRV) parameters in patients with PBC and age matched healthy controls

	Patients with PBC (n = 24)	Age-matched controls (n = 20)	P value
Cardiovascular reflex tests
Deep breathing test (beats/min)	11.3 (4.4)	17.5 (6.6)	0.001
30/15 ratio	1.18 (0.1)	1.29 (0.2)	0.03
Valsalva ratio	1.32 (0.1)	1.48 (0.2)	0.01
Orthostatic test (mmHg)	-7.1 (8.6)	-1.5 (3.7)	0.03
Handgrip test (mmHg)	20.4 (8.1)	22.3 (4.4)	NS
Time domain parameters of HRV
SDNN (ms)	119 (42)	151 (37)	0.015
SDANN (ms)	142 (102)	165 (66)	NS
RMSSD (ms)	23 (10)	38 (22)	0.006
PNN50 (%)	2.4 (4)	11 (10)	0.0008
HRVTI	28 (8)	38 (13)	0.004
Frequency domain parameters of HRV
TP (ms²)	1506 (701)	3.61 (2787)	0.0001
LF (ms²)	299 (176)	1.40 (977)	0.00007
HF (ms²)	150 (148)	1.06 (565)	0.004

Table 2 Current perception threshold (CPT) values in PBC patients and controls at median and peroneal nerve testing at three different frequencies

	Patients with PBC (n = 24)	Age-matched controls (n = 20)	P value
CPT (mA)-Median nerve
2000 Hz	2.45 (0.75)	2.94 (0.87)	0.076
250 Hz	0.81 (0.33)	1.10 (0.46)	0.030
5 Hz	0.42 (0.23)	0.50 (0.17)	0.242
CPT (mA)-Peroneal nerve
2000 Hz	2.91 (0.71)	3.61 (0.66)	0.005
250 Hz	1.01 (0.39)	1.40 (0.26)	0.002
5 Hz	0.68 (0.40)	1.06 (0.28)	0.004