Abstract: Objective To determine the relationship between heart rate variability（HRV) and atherosclerosis(AS) in nondiabetic hemodialysis patients(MHD). Methods 108 nondiabetic MHD patients were enrolled in this study . Carotid initial-medial thickness(IMT) was measured by high-resolution B-mode echocardiography and HRV parameters were detected by 24-hour electrocardiogram monitoring on a day without hemodialysis .The relationship between HRV parameters and carotid IMT are analyzed . Results (1)Cartid IMT[(1.11±0.24)mm vs（0.72±0.17）mm ) ]and the prevalence of atherosclerosis plaques(48%vs9%) were significantly higher in108 nondiabetic MHD patients than those in the healthy controls (P＜0.05). (2)SDNN[（64.6±22.4）ms VS（90.5±23.9）ms], SDANN[（66.2±15.9）msVS（99.2±16.3）ms],RMDSS[（17.6±9.8）ms VS（25.1±10.1）ms], PNN50[（5.4±3.8）% VS（10.3±4.7）%],HRVI[（16.9±5.0）VS（25.7±7.9）]of 24hours HRV were significantly lower in nondiabetic MHDwith AS patients than those in the MHD without AS patients.(P＜0.05). (3) Univariate analysis showed that SDNN,SDANN,RMSSD,PNN50,HRVI of 24hours HRV were negtively correlated with IMT（t=-0.421，-0.381，-0.371，-0.451，-0.397, P＜0.05，Respectively） in nondiabetic MHD patients. (4) Multivariate stepwise regression indicated that HRV parameters ,LDL ,SBP were the independent risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in nondiabetic MHD patients. Conclusion The results indicate that autonomic nerve dysfunction is closely related to atherosclerosis cardiovascular diseases in nondiabetic MHD patients.

Key words: Hemodialysis, Atherosclerosis, Heart rate variability, Carotid initial-medial thickness