Maximal expiratory flow-volume curve in chronic chagasic patients with megaesophagus with or without megacolon

ABSTRACT

The maximal expiratory flow-volume curve was used to evaluate existing physiological abnormalities in forty patientes with chronic Chagas'Disease. All patients had megaoesophagus with or without megacolon, some had ECG evidence of cardiomyopathy but none had clinic signs of cardiac failure. The 40 patients were studied in four groups I)The total group with or without cardiomyopathy. II) 24 patients with associated cardiomyopathy. III) 16 patients without cardiomyopathy. IV) 17 non smoking patients with or without cardiomyopathy. The results indicated that there was a) a dmininution of the forced vital capacity (FVC) in group I, II and IV; b) a diminution of maximal expiratory flow (Vmax) in group I and II; c) a diminution of the maximal expiratory flow rates at 50% and 25% of the expired vital capacity (Vmax50 and Vmax25) in all four groups. The alterations of the first-second forced expired volume (FEV1) were not significant in any group. Diminution of FVC and Vmax seen to be dependent upon the presence of associated cardiomyopathy while diminution of the Vmax50 and Vmax25 was a constant finding, independent of the presence of cardiopathy