Table 4. Autonomic nerve functions at baseline and changes after 24 weeks.

Index	Baseline					Changes after 24 weeks
	ALA		Placebo		P value	ALA			Placebo			P value
	No. of patient	Mean±SD	No. of patient	Mean±SD	t-test	No. of patient	Mean±SD	Paired t-test	No. of patient	Mean±SD	Paired t-test	t-test
30:15 Heart rate ratio with standing	39	1.02±0.04	32	1.04±0.08	0.088	39	0.02±0.07	0.036	28	0.04±0.08	0.014	0.359
Valsalva ratio	36	1.11±0.12	33	1.16±0.14	0.150	34	0.07±0.14	0.009	31	0.05±0.18	0.140	0.611
Beat to beat variation with deep breathing, ms	38	10.32±4.59	29	10.83±6.54	0.721	38	4.53±8.70	0.003	24	2.13±6.96	0.148	0.259
Orthostasis blood pressure (SBP), mm Hg	37	2.38±10.21	29	3.59±8.11	0.604	36	–4.39±10.03	0.013	27	0.63±9.44	0.732	0.048
Orthostasis blood pressure (DBP), mm Hg	34	4.26±5.33	30	4.83±5.58	0.678	34	–2.35±5.62	0.020	25	–0.76±5.61	0.504	0.286
Hand grip blood pressure (SBP), mm Hg	38	149.37±18.45	31	150.71±22.56	0.787	36	–1.17±21.09	0.742	28	3.36±19.89	0.380	0.386
Hand grip blood pressure (DBP), mm Hg	38	94.53±13.28	31	92.84±16.39	0.638	36	–3.22±13.11	0.149	28	3.57±16.94	0.274	0.075

ALA, α-lipoic acid; SD, standard deviation; SBP, systolic blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure.