Analysis of dysautonomia in patients with Chagas Cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Chagas disease American trypanosomiasis is caused by a flagellated parasite: trypanosoma cruzi, transmitted by an insect of the genus Triatoma and also by blood transfusions. In Latin America the number of infected people is approximately 6 million, with a population exposed to the risk of infection of 550000. It is our interest to develop a non-invasive, low-cost methodology, capable of detecting any alteration early on cardiaca produced by T. cruzi. We analyzed the 24 hour RR records in patients with ECG abnormalities (CH2), patients without ECG alterations (CH1) who had positive serological findings for Chagas disease and healthy (Control) matched by sex and age. We found significant differences between the Control, CH1 and CH2 groups that show dysautonomy and enervation of the autonomic nervous system.