Objective    To explore the relationship between heart rate variability (HRV) and serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in type 2 diabetic aged patients.     Methods    Totally 30 aged patients with type 2 DM were enrolled in this study who were selected from the outpatients and inpatients of Department of Gerontology in the Third People’s Hospital of Chongqing

and another 30 non-diabetic matched individuals were recruited as control. Their serum hs-CRP and 24 hour-electrocardiography were examined. HRV was assessed by calculating the indices based on statistical operation on RR intervals (time domain analysis) from 24-hour Holter recording

including: standard deviation of normal to normal RR intervals (SDNN)

standard deviation of 5-minute mean RR intervals (SDANN) and square root of differences between adjacent NN intervals (rMSSD). Linear correlation analysis was carried out between their serum hs-CRP and HRV.      Results    HRV parameters of type 2 DM patients were significantly lower than those of non-diabetic patients

but hs-CRP values were significantly higher than those of control. Linear correlation analysis indicated that HRV was in a positive correlation with hs-CRP in type 2 diabetic aged patients.     Conclusion    Altered autonomic nervous function may be associated with altered serum hs-CRP in aged patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.