Heart rate variability is reduced in acromegaly patients and improved by treatment with somatostatin analogues.

Background: Cardiovascular complications, including arrhythmias and cardiac sudden death, are the most common causes of enhanced mortality in acromegaly. However, few data are available on cardiac autonomic functions and sympathovagal balance in acromegalic patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate both the time and frequency domain parameters of Heart Rate Variability (HRV), in order to characterize the cardiac autonomic functions in patients affected by acromegaly.