Is autonomic function associated with left ventricular systolic function in Chagas heart disease patients undergoing treatment for heart failure?

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Lotte Raadschilders, Manoel Otavio da Costa Rocha, Lidiane Sousa, Jan Nouwen, Antonio Luiz Ribeiro
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Spanish; Portuguese
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2014
• Subjects: Chagas disease; Autonomic function; Valsalva index; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic; Rho
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0013-2013; https://doaj.org/article/1dae63b38c9b4f008548dda89b1d53ec

Introduction The association between cardiac autonomic and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in Chagas disease (ChD) is controversial. Methods A standardized protocol that includes the Valsalva maneuver, a respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) test, and an echocardiographic examination was used. Spearman correlation coefficients (rho) were used to investigate associations. Results The study population consisted of 118 ChD patients undergoing current medical treatment, with an average LV ejection fraction of 51.4±2.6%. The LV ejection fraction and diastolic dimension were correlated with the Valsalva index (rho=0.358, p<0.001 and rho=-0.266, p=0.004, respectively) and the RSA (rho=0.391, p<0.001 and rho=-0.311, p<0.001, respectively). Conclusions The impairment of LV function is directly associated with a reduction of cardiac autonomic modulation in ChD.