Assessment of the sympatho-vagal interaction in central serous chorioretinopathy measured by power spectral analysis of heart rate variability.

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to measure the activity of the sympathetic nervous system in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) by power spectral analysis (PSA) of heart-rate (RR-interval) variability, a noninvasive method that reflects the balance of the sympathetic-vagal interaction.

METHODS

The following four different groups of patients were measured; group 1, acute CSC (n = 11); group 2, acute recurrent CSC (n = 7); group 3, chronic persistent CSC (n = 4); group 4, complete remission of CSC (n = 9). The data recorded for these 31 patients (29 men and 2 women), with an average age of 44 years were compared with those noted for a group of 15 age-matched healthy individuals. The sympathetic-vagal balance is expressed by the ratio of the low-frequency component (LF) to the high-frequency component (HF) of the power spectrum.

RESULTS

Significant differences in mean LF/HF ratios were found as follows for all but one of the sub-groups as compared with the normal controls (LF/HF = 1.1): group 1, LF/HF = 5.5 (P < 0.01); group 2, LF/HF = 5.4 (P < 0.05); group 3, LF/HF = 4.2 (P = 0.1); and group 4, LF/HF = 3.0 (P < 0.01). There was also a significant difference between active CSC and inactive CSC (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

These results support the view that the pathogenesis of CSC is related to an increase in the sympathetic activity of the autonomic nervous system. Furthermore, the LF/HF ratios seem to correlate with the activity of the disease.