Autonomic involvement in tick-borne encephalitis (TBE): report of five cases.
Kleiter I, Steinbrecher A, Flugel D, Bogdahn U, Schulte-Mattler W.
Department of Neurology, University of Regensburg, Universitatsstr. 84, D-93042 Regensburg, Germany. [email protected] regensburg.de
BACKGROUND: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a infection of the CNS with significant acute and long-term morbidity. Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system may be a potentially harmful complication of TBE.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a retrospective case series, 5 patients with acute TBE were evaluated for clinical signs of autonomic dysfunction and subject to autonomic testing. Heart rate variability (HRV) with 6 per minute deep breathing was performed between day 9 to 31 after onset of meningitis. Follow-up data were available in three cases.
RESULTS: All patients showed clinical signs of autonomic dysfunction, including upper and lower gastrointestinal tract symptoms, orthostatic hypotension, and urinary retention. A reduced HRV was observed in 4 patients, with sustained sinus tachycardia in 2 of them. The minimum of the HRV was reached 9 to 20 days after onset of meningitis. In one patient, normalization of the HRV occurred within 3 months.
CONCLUSION: Acute TBE can be associated with autonomic dysfunction including reduced HRV and tachycardia. Prospective studies are needed to analyze the incidence of autonomic dysfunction in TBE, and to clarify which patients have the highest risk for autonomic failure.
Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :
My autonomic nervous system is completely whacked from Lyme. I just started working with a doctor who specializes in this and uses natural methods (mostly amino acids and B vitamins) to get the ANS back on track.
He has many Lyme patients. In fact, yesterday he told me many of his patients end up seeing my LLMD.
Posted by Radha (Member # 8464) on :
could you please tell us what amino acids and vitamins you take to help the ANS system? i also have autonomic dysfunction, thanks radha
Posted by am36 (Member # 9409) on :
ditto Radha The medications I have been taking for ANS dysfunction no loger help me.
Posted by heathnicole (Member # 9313) on :
I also need help my ANS is really off. What shold I take? Or how could I find a good doc? PS I am in Central FL. Thanks so much!
heather
Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :
Radha:
The amino acids I am taking were chosen based on what I am deficient in. So I don't think it helps for me to share it. The vitamins/minerals right now are B-12, Folic Acid, Multi-vitamin, magnesium and Vitamin C.
Heather:
I wish I could help more. I found this doctor by chance, he was on a list of integrative medicine specialists my LLMD put together. I also know very, very little about the ANS. I'm in the learning stages.