Group I: levodopa only (n=9) | Group II: selegiline and levodopa (n=16) | Group II: selegiline ceased (n=16) | |
---|---|---|---|
Valsalva ratio | 1.13 (0.03) | 1.15 (0.03) | 1.07 (0.02)e |
R:R ratio with deep breathing | 4.9 (1.5) | 4.3 (0.7) | 5.2 (1.0) |
Mental arithmetic | |||
% Change in systolic BP | 5.4 (2.5) | 2.2 (5.5) | 1.9 (3.0) |
% Change in diastolic BP | 6.0 (4.9) | 3.1 (2.1) | −3.0 (1.8) |
% Change in HR | 7.9 (2.4) | 6.8 (1.8) | 5.3 (2.5) |
Response to cold face pack | |||
% Change in systolic BP | 1.8 (3.7) | −2.3 (3.2) | 6.7 (3.3) |
% Change in diastolic BP | −0.4 (1.9) | −5.3 (6.3) | 3.8 (4.0) |
% Change in HR | −2.0 (1.2) | −0.8 (1.3) | −2.4 (1.4) |
Cold pressor test | |||
% Change in systolic BP | 4.7 (2.1) | −0.5 (3.3) | NA |
% Change in diastolic BP | −0.1 (14.0) | −1.2 (2.7) | NA |
% Change in HR | 2.9 (2.5) | 2.5 (0.9) | −3.0 (1.7)f |
As absolute and percentage changes were similar, only the percentage changes are shown. No activating procedure affected blood pressure or heart rate in either group (P>0.05, paired ttest). Selegiline did not affect any autonomic function (comparison between groups I and II: P>0.05, two tailed t test), but its withdrawal mildly reduced the Valsalva ratio and reversed the heart rate response to the cold pressor test (eP<0.05;fP<0.01, paired ttest). However, drug withdrawal did not cause any of these indices to differ from those treated with levodopa alone (P>0.05, pairedt test). NA = not available; BP = blood pressure; HB = heart rate.