Main Article

Effect of age and gender on sudomotor and cardiovagal function and blood pressure response to tilt in normal subjects

  1. Phillip A. Low MD*,
  2. Jong-Chyou Denq MD,
  3. Tonette L. Opfer-Gehrking,
  4. Peter J. Dyck MD,
  5. Peter C. O'Brien PhD,
  6. Jeff M. Slezak

Article first published online: 7 DEC 1998

DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-4598(199712)20:12<1561::AID-MUS11>3.0.CO;2-3

Issue

Muscle & Nerve

Muscle & Nerve

Volume 20, Issue 12, pages 1561–1568, December 1997

Additional Information

How to Cite

Low, P. A., Denq, J.-C., Opfer-Gehrking, T. L., Dyck, P. J., O'Brien, P. C. and Slezak, J. M. (1997), Effect of age and gender on sudomotor and cardiovagal function and blood pressure response to tilt in normal subjects. Muscle & Nerve, 20: 1561–1568. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-4598(199712)20:12<1561::AID-MUS11>3.0.CO;2-3

Author Information

  1. Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA

*Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 7 DEC 1998
  2. Article first published online: 7 DEC 1998
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 15 JUL 1997
  4. Manuscript Received: 24 FEB 1997

Funded by

  • NINDS. Grant Number: PO1 NS32352
  • NASA
  • Mayo Foundation

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Keywords:

  • sudomotor;
  • cardiovagal;
  • tilt;
  • adrenergic;
  • blood pressure

Abstract

Normative data are limited on autonomic function tests, especially beyond age 60 years. We therefore evaluated these tests in a total of 557 normal subjects evenly distributed by age and gender from 10 to 83 years. Heart rate (HR) response to deep breathing fell with increasing age. Valsalva ratio varied with both age and gender. QSART (quantitative sudomotor axon-reflex test) volume was consistently greater in men (approximately double) and progressively declined with age for all three lower extremity sites but not the forearm site. Orthostatic blood pressure reduction was greater with increasing age. HR at rest was significantly higher in women, and the increment with head-up tilt fell with increasing age. For no tests did we find a regression to zero, and some tests seem to level off with increasing age, indicating that diagnosis of autonomic failure was possible to over 80 years of age. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve20: 1561–1568, 1997

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