Quantitative sensory testing can effectively predict cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Aims Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) is one of the most serious types of diabetic autonomic neuropathy and is a class of small fibre neuropathy. Among many inspection methods, quantitative sensory testing is an effective and convenient method for diagnosing diabetic small fibre neuropathy. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the correlation between the development of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy and quantitative sensory testing parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods A total of 266 participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus from Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital were enrolled in this study, and each of them received cardiovascular reflex tests (CARTs) and quantitative sensory testing, including testing of cold, warm, cold pain, and heat pain detection thresholds (CDT, WDT, CPT, and HPT, respectively). The results of CARTs were compared with the thermal detection thresholds in quantitative sensory testing by using SPSS 26.0. Results A total of 266 participants were divided into the CAN group, early CAN (ECAN) group, and without CAN (NCAN) group. There were significant differences in quantitative sensory testing parameters among three groups, and CARTs presented a positive correlation with the WDT and HPT and a negative correlation with the CDT. Moreover, after adjusting for age, sex, diabetes duration, and other influencing factors, WDT, HPT, and CDT were independent risk factors for cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy. Conclusions The thermal detection thresholds, including cold, warm, and heat pain detection thresholds, in quantitative sensory testing were found to be significantly related to the results of CARTs. Some thermal detection thresholds were independent risk factors for cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy. Therefore, this study showed that quantitative sensory testing has a reliable predictive ability for the occurrence and development of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy.