Assessment of Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction in the Early Phase of Infection With SARS-CoV-2 Virus

<jats:sec><jats:title>Background</jats:title><jats:p>We are facing the outburst of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) defined as a serious, multisystem, disorder, including various neurological manifestations in its presentation. So far, autonomic dysfunction (AD) has not been reported in patients with COVID-19 infection.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Aim</jats:title><jats:p>Assessment of AD in the early phase of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 virus).</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Patients and methods</jats:title><jats:p>We analyzed 116 PCR positive COVID-19 patients. After the exclusion of 41 patients with associate diseases (CADG), partitioned to patients with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and syncope, the remaining patients were included into a severe group (45 patients with confirmed interstitial pneumonia) and mild group (30 patients). Basic cardiovascular autonomic reflex tests (CART) were performed, followed by beat-to-beat heart rate variability (HRV) and systolic and diastolic blood pressure variability (BPV) analysis, along with baroreceptor sensitivity (BRS). Non-linear analysis of HRV was provided by Poincare Plot. Results were compared to <jats:bold>77</jats:bold> sex and age-matched controls.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>AD (sympathetic, parasympathetic, or both) in our study has been revealed in 51.5% of severe, 78.0% of mild COVID-19 patients, and the difference compared to healthy controls was significant (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic> = 0.018). Orthostatic hypotension has been established in 33.0% COVID-19 patients compared to 2.6% controls (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic> = 0.001). Most of the spectral parameters of HRV and BPV confirmed AD, most prominent in the severe COVID-19 group. BRS was significantly lower in all patients (severe, mild, CADG), indicating significant sudden cardiac death risk.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion</jats:title><jats:p>Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy should be taken into account in COVID-19 patients’ assessment. It can be an explanation for a variety of registered manifestations, enabling a comprehensive diagnostic approach and further treatment.</jats:p></jats:sec>