[Cardiac autonomic neuropathy in diabetics. Study on incidence, pathogenesis and prognosis].

Cardiac autonomic neuropathy is not a rare complication of diabetes. In a selected diabetic population, the prevalence of this complication indicated by abnormal response in beat-to-beat variation during forced respiration was 26%. Patients with cardiac autonomic neuropathy had a two- to threefold higher frequency of diabetic retinopathy. The mortality rate during a 5 year period was increased in diabetics with cardiac autonomic neuropathy.