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Cardiac autonomic dysfunction and mortality Objectives: To evaluate whether reduced heart rate variability (HRV), prolonged QTc interval, or increased QT dispersion (QTD) are predictors of mortality in the general diabetic and nondiabetic population. Research Design and Methods: Nondiabetic (n=1560) and diabetic (n=160) subjects aged 55-74 years were assessed to determine whether reduced HRV, prolonged QTc interval, and increased QTD may predict all-cause mortality. Lowest quartiles for the max-min R-R interval difference (max-min) as measured from a 20 second standard 12-lead ECG without controlling for depth and rate of respiration, QTc>440ms, and QTD>60ms determined from 12-lead resting ECG at baseline were used as cutpoints. Results: During a 9-year follow-up, 10.5 % of the nondiabetic and 30.6 % of the diabetic population deceased. In the nondiabetic individuals, multivariate Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for cardiovascular risk factors and demographi