Heart rate variability and vibration perception threshold in healthy young adults with parental history of type 2 diabetes mellitus

The aim of the study was to evaluate cardiac autonomic function and somatic sensation in healthy young adults with parental history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The study was conducted on 40 young adults with parental history of T2DM and 40 young adults without parental history of T2DM. The short term heart rate variability (HRV) and vibration perception threshold (VPT) were assessed in both groups. In time domain measures, standard deviation of all RR intervals (SDNN) [26.5 (22–33) vs 33.5 (25–37.75) ms, P = 0.014], the square root of the mean of the sum of the squares of differences between adjacent RR intervals (RMSSD) [25.85 (16.22–33.8) vs 30.9 (24.4–41.67) ms, P = 0.013], and percentage of consecutive RR intervals that differ by more than 50 ms (pNN50) [4.6 (1.1–13.77) vs 12.4 (2.8–26.82) %, P = 0.022] were significantly less in young adults with parental history of T2DM. In frequency domain measures, low frequency (LF) [115.5 (83.75–140.75) vs 141 (104.25–249.75) ms2, P = 0.021], high frequency (HF) [114.5 (74.5–179) vs 182.5 (104.25–247) ms2, P = 0.006] and HF [33.3 (24.52–53.22) vs 56.8 (43.02–69.17) nu, P = 0.002] were significantly less in young adults with parental history of T2DM. Whereas, LF [49.8 (36.97–69.55) vs 45.2 (35.4–57.02) nu] and LF/HF [0.98 (0.65–1.62) vs 0.85 (0.5–2.02) %] were comparable between the groups. VPT (for peripheral neuropathy) was comparable between the groups. This study indicates that parental type 2 diabetes has an impact on the cardiac autonomic function in non-diabetic young adults.