Incidence and Predictors of Progression to Chagas Cardiomyopathy: Long-Term Follow-Up of Trypanosoma cruzi-Seropositive Individuals.

BACKGROUND: There are few contemporary cohorts of Trypanosoma cruzi-seropositive individuals, and the basic clinical epidemiology of Chagas disease is poorly understood. Herein, we report the incidence of cardiomyopathy and death associated with T. cruzi seropositivity. METHODS: Participants were selected in blood banks at 2 Brazilian centers. Cases were defined as T. cruzi-seropositive blood donors. T. cruzi-seronegative controls were matched for age, sex, and period of donation. Patients with established Chagas cardiomyopathy were recruited from a tertiary outpatient service. Participants underwent medical examination, blood collection, ECG, and echocardiogram at enrollment (2008-2010) and at follow-up (2018-2019). The primary outcomes were all-cause mortality and development of cardiomyopathy, defined as the presence of a left ventricular ejection fraction <50% or QRS complex duration ≥120 ms, or both. To handle loss to follow-up, a sensitivity analysis was performed using inverse probability weights for selection. RESULTS: We enrolled 499 T. cruzi-seropositive donors (age 48±10 years, 52% male), 488 T. cruzi-seronegative donors (age 49±10 years, 49% male), and 101 patients with established Chagas cardiomyopathy (age 48±8 years, 59% male). The mortality in patients with established cardiomyopathy was 80.9 deaths/1000 person-years (py) (54/101, 53%) and 15.1 deaths/1000 py (17/114, 15%) in T. cruzi-seropositive donors with cardiomyopathy at baseline. Among T. cruzi-seropositive donors without cardiomyopathy at baseline, mortality was 3.7 events/1000 py (15/385, 4%), which was no different from T. cruzi-seronegative donors with 3.6 deaths/1000 py (17/488, 3%). The incidence of cardiomyopathy in T. cruzi-seropositive donors was 13.8 (95% CI, 9.5-19.6) events/1000 py (32/262, 12%) compared with 4.6 (95% CI, 2.3-8.3) events/1000 py (11/277, 4%) in seronegative controls, with an absolute incidence difference associated with T. cruzi seropositivity of 9.2 (95% CI, 3.6-15.0) events/1000 py. T. cruzi antibody level at baseline was associated with development of cardiomyopathy (adjusted odds ratio, 1.4 [95% CI, 1.1-1.8]). CONCLUSIONS: We present a comprehensive description of the natural history of T. cruzi seropositivity in a contemporary patient population. The results highlight the central importance of anti-T. cruzi antibody titer as a marker of Chagas disease activity and risk of progression.

Complete Treatment Versus Residual Lesion - Long-Term Evolution After Acute Coronary Syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: A recently published study raised doubts about the need for percutaneous treatment of nonculprit lesions in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). METHODS: Retrospective, unicentric, observational study. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the long-term outcomes in patients undergoing treatment of the culprit artery, comparing those who remained with significant residual lesions in nonculprit arteries (group I) versus those without residual lesions in other coronary artery beds (group II). The study included 580 patients (284 in group I and 296 in group II) between May 2010 and May 2013. We obtained demographic and clinical data, as well as information regarding the coronary treatment administered to the patients. In the statistical analysis, the primary outcome included combined events (reinfarction/angina, death, heart failure, and need for reintervention). The comparison between groups was performed using the chi-square test and ANOVA. The long-term analysis was conducted with the Kaplan-Meier method, with a mean follow-up of 9.86 months. RESULTS: The mean ages were 63 years in group I and 62 years in group II. On long-term follow-up, there was no significant difference in combined events in groups I and II (31.9% versus 35.6%, respectively, p = 0.76). CONCLUSION: The strategy of treating the culprit artery alone seems safe. In this study, no long-term differences in combined endpoints were observed between patients who remained with significant lesions compared with those without other obstructions.

Complete Treatment Versus Residual Lesion - Long-Term Evolution After Acute Coronary Syndrome / Tratamento Completo Versus Lesão Residual - Evolução a Longo Prazo Após Síndrome Coronariana Aguda

Abstract Introduction: A recently published study raised doubts about the need for percutaneous treatment of nonculprit lesions in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Methods: Retrospective, unicentric, observational study. Objective: To analyze the long-term outcomes in patients undergoing treatment of the culprit artery, comparing those who remained with significant residual lesions in nonculprit arteries (group I) versus those without residual lesions in other coronary artery beds (group II). The study included 580 patients (284 in group I and 296 in group II) between May 2010 and May 2013. We obtained demographic and clinical data, as well as information regarding the coronary treatment administered to the patients. In the statistical analysis, the primary outcome included combined events (reinfarction/angina, death, heart failure, and need for reintervention). The comparison between groups was performed using the chi-square test and ANOVA. The long-term analysis was conducted with the Kaplan-Meier method, with a mean follow-up of 9.86 months. Results: The mean ages were 63 years in group I and 62 years in group II. On long-term follow-up, there was no significant difference in combined events in groups I and II (31.9% versus 35.6%, respectively, p = 0.76). Conclusion: The strategy of treating the culprit artery alone seems safe. In this study, no long-term differences in combined endpoints were observed between patients who remained with significant lesions compared with those without other obstructions.

Resumo Fundamento: Um estudo publicado recentemente levantou dúvidas sobre a necessidade de abordagem percutânea de lesões não culpadas em pacientes com síndromes coronarianas agudas (SCA). Métodos: Estudo retrospectivo, unicêntrico e observacional. Objetivo: Comparar desfechos a longo prazo entre pacientes submetidos à abordagem da artéria culpada, comparando os que permaneceram com lesões residuais significativas em artérias não culpadas (grupo I) versus aqueles sem lesões residuais em outros leitos coronarianos (grupo II). Foram incluídos 580 pacientes (284 no grupo I e 296 no grupo II) entre maio de 2010 e maio de 2013. Foram obtidos dados demográficos e clínicos, além de informações sobre o tratamento coronariano administrado aos pacientes. Na análise estatística, o desfecho primário incluiu eventos combinados (reinfarto/angina, morte, insuficiência cardíaca e necessidade de reintervenção). A comparação entre grupos foi realizada através do teste do qui-quadrado e ANOVA. A análise a longo prazo foi realizada pelo método de Kaplan-Meier, com seguimento médio de 9,86 meses. Resultados: As médias das idades foram de 63 anos no grupo I e 62 anos no grupo II. O seguimento a longo prazo não mostrou diferença significativa em eventos combinados nos grupos I e II (31,9% versus 35,6%, respectivamente, p = 0,76). Conclusão: A estratégia de tratar somente a artéria considerada culpada parece segura. Neste estudo, não houve diferenças a longo prazo em desfechos combinados entre pacientes que permaneceram com lesões significativas comparativamente àqueles sem outras obstruções.