Use of tissue doppler imaging for the early detection of myocardial dysfunction in patients with the indeterminate form of Chagas disease

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Chagas disease is one of the most common diseases in Latin America and heart involvement is the main cause of death. This study aimed to determine differences in tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) parameters in the assessment left and right ventricular function in patients with the indeterminate form of Chagas disease compared to those in healthy controls. METHODS: We compared 194 patients with the indeterminate form of Chagas disease to 72 age-matched healthy individuals. We considered p-values <0.05 to be statistically significant. RESULTS: TDI analysis of the right ventricular (RV) showed lengthened isovolumic relaxation time (IRT) and higher RV index of myocardial performance (RIMP) and left ventricle (LV) index of myocardial performance (LIMP) in the Chagas group than in the control group, indicating RV and LV systolic and diastolic myocardial damage. TDI analysis of the myocardial velocities of the interventricular septum and the lateral wall of the LV also showed a systolic and diastolic myocardial damage. CONCLUSIONS: The study results demonstrated early LV systolic and diastolic myocardial damage in the RV and LV in patients with the indeterminate form of Chagas disease by TDI. These early findings of RV and LV dysfunction may help identify patients who will progress to heart failure during the disease course. TDI should be included in initial patient evaluations because it allows adequate follow-up and treatment.

Chagas cardiomyopathy associated with serological cure after trypanocidal treatment during childhood

Abstract Chagas disease is a chronic parasitological disease, which could cause cardiac manifestations in approximately one-third of affected individuals. Benznidazole and nifurtimox are used to treat this parasitological infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. Conventionally, the criterion for cure is consistently negative serological tests after treatment. We report a case of a patient who was treated when she was 13 years old and achieved T. cruzi negative seroconversion but developed Chagas disease cardiomyopathy as an adult.

Pronostico de mortalidad en una cohorte de pacientes portadores de Miocardiopatía Dilatada por Enfermedad de Chagas Crónica Argentina / Predict mortality in a cohort of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and Chagas Disease Chronic Argentina

Introducción y objetivos: El compromiso más avanzado de la Enfermedad de Chagas (ECH) crónica se manifiesta por una miocardiopatía de evolución lenta, progresiva e irreversible, originando discapacidad precoz y muerte temprana.El objetivo principal de este estudio fue analizar predictores de mortalidad en una cohorte de pacientes con ECH y compromiso miocárdico avanzado. Material y método: Se utilizó un diseño de cohortes prospectivo que incluyó 96 pacientes con 2 o 3 técnicas reactivas para Enfermedad de Chagas con dilatación ventricular izquierda y asintomáticos (Estadio II de Kurchnir) o con signos de insuficiencia cardíaca ( Estadio III de Kurchnir). Se incluyeron variables demográficas, clínicas, electro y ecocardiográficas en un análisis tradicional de sobrevida y como punto final la muerte cardiovascular. En el análisis del tiempo de sobrevida se utilizaron las curvas de Kaplan Meier y luego se utilizó un análisis de riesgos proporcionales de Cox hasta encontrar el modelo que mejor ajuste tuvo con mortalidad...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJETIVES The most advanced state of the Cronical Chagas Desease is manifested by a prolonged and irreversible evolution of a myocardiopathy causing in the process early disability and mortality. The main objective of this study was to analyse mortality predictors considering a patient cohort affected by the Chagas Desease with advanced Myocardial Compromise. MATERIAL AND METHODFor the development of the study a prospective cohort design was employed.The analysis considered a total number of 96 patients being subject to an specific treatment based on 2 or 3 reactive techniques and employed for Asymptomatic Chagas Desease involing Left Ventricular Dilation Cardiopathy (Kurchnir´s II state) or Heart Failure signs ( Kurchnir´s III state).In accordance with traditional mortality rate analysis, demographic, clinical, electro and ecocardiographic variables were included. In the Mortality rate analysis were employed Kaplan-Meier curves first and the Cox approach to proportional risk analysis later on in order to adopt the most accurate model represeting Mortality rate results...