Roberto Badaro
Federal University of Bahia Hospital Complex,
Bahia
Brazil
Research Article
The Significance of Electrocardiographic Abnormalities and Serology for T. cruzi Infection
Author(s): Monique Lirio, Zuinara Pereira Gusmão Maia, Maria Nakatani, Sanjay R. Mehta and Roberto BadaroMonique Lirio, Zuinara Pereira Gusmão Maia, Maria Nakatani, Sanjay R. Mehta and Roberto Badaro
Background: Electrocardiography (EKG) is a basic complementary exam in the evaluation patients with Chagas disease (CD), where findings can precede symptoms and physical examination abnormalities.
Objective: To correlate positive Chagas serology and electrocardiographic abnormalities associated with chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy.
Method: We evaluated the correlation between results of an ELISA using crude antigen (TcLys) and recombinant antigen (TcF) with the presence of EKG disturbances, within a cohort of individuals with either epidemiologic risk or clinical symptoms suggestive of CD, sent to our Laboratory for Tropical Diseases for testing in state of Bahia, Brazil.
Results: 84 individuals had a positive ELISA using TcLys or TcF antigen. Overall, 49 patients (58.3%) were symptomatic with .. View More»
DOI:
10.4172/2329-891X.1000121