Autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction is a known entity in strokes involving insula. It causes significant morbidity and mortality.
A total of 50 patients with newly diagnosed insular glioma in the age group of 18-60 year, were evaluated with heart rate variability (HRV). All the HRV parameters in patients with insular glioma were compared with normal healthy age and gender matched controls.
There was a significant difference (p-value < 0.05) in most of the HRV parameters between patients and controls. Patients with left insular glioma showed significantly increased heart rate (p =0.027), LF nu (p=0.048), and also increased LF/HF (p=0.015), which indicates sympathetic dominance. Patients with seizures had significantly lower values of total power (p=0.042). No significant difference was found in terms of the extent and size of the tumor or histopathological grades of gliomas.
Patients with insular gliomas have significant impairment of autonomic functions with left insular glioma showing sympathetic dominance. Suppression of autonomic function is more in those presenting with seizures 1).