Effectiveness of the repurposed drug isotretinoin in an experimental murine model of Chagas disease.

Benznidazole and nifurtimox are the drugs currently used for the treatment of Chagas disease, however its side effects may affect patient adherence. In the search for new alternative therapies, we previously identified isotretinoin (ISO), an FDA-approved drug widely used for the treatment of severe acne through a drug repurposing strategy. ISO shows a strong activity against Trypanosoma cruzi parasites in the nanomolar range, and its mechanism of action is through the inhibition of T.

Direct evidence gap on fixed versus adjusted-dose benznidazole for adults with chronic Chagas disease without cardiomyopathy: Systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis.

Objectives: To determine the comparative efficacy and safety of a fixed dose of benznidazole (BZN) with an adjusted-dose for Trypanosoma cruzi-seropositive adults without cardiomyopathy.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis following Cochrane methods, and the PRISMA-IPD statement for reporting. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) allocating participants to fixed or adjusted doses of BZN for T.

Fenofibrate Increases the Population of Non-Classical Monocytes in Asymptomatic Chagas Disease Patients and Modulates Inflammatory Cytokines in PBMC.

Chronic Chagas disease cardiomyopathy (CCC) is the most important clinical manifestation of infection with () due to its frequency and effects on morbidity and mortality. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) infiltrate the tissue and differentiate into inflammatory macrophages. Advances in pathophysiology show that myeloid cell subpopulations contribute to cardiac homeostasis, emerging as possible therapeutic targets.

Speckle tracking echocardiography in the indeterminate form of Chagas disease.

Background: Chagas disease is one of the most common diseases in Latin-America, and cardiac involvement is a significant cause of death. Assessment of myocardial strain may detect early myocardial damage.

Objectives: To determine differences in longitudinal strain using speckle tracking to assess regional and global left ventricular function in patients with the indeterminate form of Chagas disease, in comparison with a control group.

Fixed vs adjusted-dose benznidazole for adults with chronic Chagas disease without cardiomyopathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Chagas disease is a neglected disease that remains a public health threat, particularly in Latin America. The most important treatment options are nitroimidazole derivatives, such as nifurtimox and benznidazole (BZN). Some studies suggest that for adults seropositive to T.

Clinical significance of tissue Doppler imaging in chronic Chagas disease.

Introduction: Chagas disease (ChD) is one of the main parasitic diseases in Latin-America. Its heart involvement is the most important cause of death. The aim of this study is to evaluate if Doppler Tissue Imaging (DTI) may have a predictive value for later events in subjects with chronic ChD.

Use of tissue doppler imaging for the early detection of myocardial dysfunction in patients with the indeterminate form of Chagas disease.

Introduction: Chagas disease is one of the most common diseases in Latin America and heart involvement is the main cause of death. This study aimed to determine differences in tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) parameters in the assessment left and right ventricular function in patients with the indeterminate form of Chagas disease compared to those in healthy controls.

Methods: We compared 194 patients with the indeterminate form of Chagas disease to 72 age-matched healthy individuals.

Nifurtimox versus benznidazole or placebo for asymptomatic Trypanosoma cruzi infection (Equivalence of Usual Interventions for Trypanosomiasis - EQUITY): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Either benznidazole (BZN) or nifurtimox (NFX) is recommended as equivalent to treat Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Nonetheless, supportive data from randomised trials is limited to individuals treated with BZN in southern cone countries of Latin America.

Methods: The goal of this randomised, concealed, blind, parallel-group trial is to inform the trypanocidal efficacy and safety of NFX and its equivalence to BZN among individuals with T.

Experimental combination therapy using low doses of benznidazole and allopurinol in mouse models of Trypanosoma cruzi chronic infection.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of low doses of benznidazole (BNZ) on continuous administration (BNZc), combined with allopurinol (ALO), in C57BL/6J and C3H/HeN mice infected with Trypanosoma cruzi Nicaragua strain and T. cruzi Sylvio-X10/4 clone. TcN-C57BL/6J was also treated with intermittent doses of BNZ (BNZit).

Chagas cardiomyopathy associated with serological cure after trypanocidal treatment during childhood.

Chagas disease is a chronic parasitological disease, which could cause cardiac manifestations in approximately one-third of affected individuals. Benznidazole and nifurtimox are used to treat this parasitological infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. Conventionally, the criterion for cure is consistently negative serological tests after treatment.

Nurses' training in the use of a delirium screening tool.

Objective: To narrate the nurses' training experience in the implementation of a systematic delirium screening tool using the Confusion Assessment Method for Intensive Care Unit.

Method: Experience report covering the steps of situation diagnosis, planning, staff training and evaluation of the tool's implementation between January and March 2013 with nurses in the ICU of a tertiary hospital in São Paulo.

Results: The implementation of the assessment, using the Confusion Assessment Method for Intensive Care Unit, obtained significant nurse adhesion and became a service indicator.

Electrocardiographic Abnormalities and Treatment with Benznidazole among Children with Chronic Infection by Trypanosoma cruzi: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Chronic infection by Trypanosoma cruzi could cause heart conduction disturbances. We sought to analyze electrocardiographic abnormalities among children with chronic T. cruzi infection with and without trypanocidal treatment with benznidazole.

Early detection of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in Chagas' disease.

Background: Chagas' disease may cause left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and its early detection in asymptomatic patients would allow to stratify the risk and to optimize medical treatment. The aim of this study is to investigate if transmitral Doppler flow can detect early abnormalities of the diastolic left ventricular function in patients during the indeterminate phase of Chagas' disease, in which the electrocardiogram (ECG), chest x-ray and 2-D echocardiogram (2D-echo) are normal.

Methods: a group of 54 patients with Chagas' disease was studied and compared to a control group of 27 subjects of similar age.