Autonomic dysfunction in first-degree relatives of schizophrenic patients

Background: It has been described that patients suffering from schizophrenia have a decreased vagal activity that might be associated with an increased cardiac mortality. So reduced parameters of heart rate variability (HRV) and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) as well as increased QT- variability measures have been shown. The aim of this study was to examine whether first-degree relatives of schizophrenic patients show similar changes in autonomic parameters as patients. Methods: We included 27 first-degree relatives of patients suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and 27 healthy controls. Cardiovascular parameter…