Exercise-induced ventricular arrhythmias and vagal dysfunction in Chagas disease patients with no apparent cardiac involvement

Exercise-induced ventricular arrhythmia (EIVA) and autonomic imbalance are considered as early markers of heart disease in Chagas disease (ChD) patients. The objective of the present study was to verify the differences in the occurrence of EIVA and autonomic maneuver indexes between healthy individu...

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Published in:Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical 2015-04, Vol.48 (2), p.175-180
Main Authors: Costa, Henrique Silveira, Nunes, Maria Carmo Pereira, Souza, Aline Cristina de, Lima, Marcia Maria Oliveira, Carneiro, Renata Bicalho, Sousa, Giovane Rodrigo de, Rocha, Manoel Otávio da Costa
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Autonomic function
Case-Control Studies
Chagas disease
Chagas Disease - physiopathology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Electrocardiography
Exercise Test
Exercise-induced ventricular arrhythmias
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Tachycardia, Ventricular - etiology
Tachycardia, Ventricular - physiopathology
Treadmill exercise testing
TROPICAL MEDICINE
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Summary:Exercise-induced ventricular arrhythmia (EIVA) and autonomic imbalance are considered as early markers of heart disease in Chagas disease (ChD) patients. The objective of the present study was to verify the differences in the occurrence of EIVA and autonomic maneuver indexes between healthy individuals and ChD patients with no apparent cardiac involvement. A total of 75 ChD patients with no apparent cardiac involvement, aged 44.7 (8.5) years, and 38 healthy individuals, aged 44.0 (9.2) years, were evaluated using echocardiography, symptom-limited treadmill exercise testing and autonomic function tests. The occurrence of EIVA was higher in the chagasic group (48%) than in the control group (23.7%) during both the effort and the recovery phases. Frequent ventricular contractions occurred only in the patient group. Additionally, the respiratory sinus arrhythmia index was significantly lower in the chagasic individuals compared with the control group. ChD patients with no apparent cardiac involvement had a higher frequency of EIVA as well as more vagal dysfunction by respiratory sinus arrhythmia. These results suggest that even when asymptomatic, ChD patients possess important arrhythmogenic substrates and subclinical disease.
ISSN:0037-8682
1678-9849
1678-9849
0037-8682
DOI:10.1590/0037-8682-0295-2014