Abnormal left ventricular diastolic function in chronic Chagas' disease: an echocardiographic study

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Echocardiography

Background:

• Chronic Chagas' disease, caused by *Trypanosoma cruzi*, can lead to cardiomyopathy.
• Left ventricular dysfunction is a known complication, but diastolic function patterns require further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate systolic and diastolic left ventricular function in patients with chronic Chagas' disease.
• To compare echocardiographic and phonocardiographic data with normal controls.

Main Methods:

• Simultaneous M-mode echocardiograms and phonocardiograms were recorded in 19 patients.
• Data were digitized and analyzed to assess left ventricular dimensions, shortening fraction, and velocity of circumferential fiber shortening.
• Isovolumic relaxation time and rate of dimension increase were evaluated for diastolic function.

Main Results:

• Systolic abnormalities included increased left ventricular dimensions and reduced shortening fraction in some patients.
• Diastolic abnormalities were prevalent, with prolonged isovolumic relaxation time (9 patients) and reduced rate of dimension increase (11 patients).
• No asynchronous wall motion during relaxation was observed, distinguishing it from coronary artery disease.

Conclusions:

• Diastolic disturbances are common in all stages of chronic Chagas' disease.
• These diastolic abnormalities may be a fundamental aspect of left ventricular pathology in Chagas' disease.
• Findings emphasize the importance of assessing diastolic function in Chagas' cardiomyopathy.