Postural hypotension and low R‐R interval variability in parkinsonism, spino‐cerebellar degeneration, and Shy‐Drager syndrome

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Abstract
Systolic blood pressure. mean R-R interval, and R-R interval variance were studied in patients with Parkinson's disease, spinocerebellar degeneration, and Shy-Drager syndrome. Postural hypotension correlated with anhidrosis (p < 0.05), indicating sympathetic vasomotor dysfunction. Reduction of R-R interval variance while resting supine correlated with bladder-bowel dysfunction (p < 0.05), indicating parasympathetic impairment. Reduction of R-R interval variance after postural changes correlated with constipation (p < 0.005), postural hypotension (p < 0.05), and anhidrosis (p < 0.05), indicating both parasympathetic and sympathetic involvement. Dynamic study of the R-R interval provides objective information about autonomic function in neurologic disease.