ASSESSMENT OF THE SYMPATHOVAGAL 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 t he sympathetic nervous system in patients with central serous choriore tinopathy (CSC) by power spectral analysis (PSA) of heart-rate (RR-int erval) variability, a noninvasive method that reflects the balance of the sympathetic-vagal interaction. Methods: The following four differe nt groups of patients were measured: group 1, acute CSC (n = 11); grou p 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 yea rs were compared with those noted for a group of 15 age-matched health y 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 subgroups as c ompared 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 significan t difference between active CSC and inactive CSC (P < 0.05). Conclusio ns: These results support the view that the pathogenesis of CSC is rel ated to an increase in the sympathetic activity of the autonomic nervo us system. Furthermore, the LF/HF ratios seem to correlate with the ac tivity of the disease.