Effect of an exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program on quality of life of patients with chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy: results from the PEACH randomized clinical trial.

To investigate the effect of an exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy (CCC). PEACH study was a single-center, superiority randomized clinical trial of exercise training versus no exercise (control). The sample comprised Chagas disease patients with CCC, left ventricular ejection fraction < 45%, without or with HF symptoms (CCC stages B2 or C, respectively).

Chagas heart disease: An overview of diagnosis, manifestations, treatment, and care.

Chagas heart disease (CHD) affects approximately 30% of patients chronically infected with the protozoa . CHD is classified into four stages of increasing severity according to electrocardiographic, echocardiographic, and clinical criteria. CHD presents with a myriad of clinical manifestations, but its main complications are sudden cardiac death, heart failure, and stroke.

Comparative effects of a cardiovascular rehabilitation program on functional capacity in patients with chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy with or without heart failure.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of cardiovascular rehabilitation (CR) on functional capacity of patients with chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC) and to compare the responses between CCC patients without and with heart failure (HF).

Materials And Methods: A longitudinal observational retrospective study was carried out including 36 patients with CCC without HF (stage B2 [ = 7]) and with HF (stage C [ = 29]), who participated in a CR program. Functional capacity was assessed by a maximal progressive cardiopulmonary exercise test performed on a treadmill.

Relationship between Dietary Fatty Acid Intake with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Liver Fibrosis in People with HIV.

We aimed to evaluate the relationship between food intake of lipids with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and/or liver fibrosis in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). In this cross-sectional study, transient elastography was used to detect the presence of NAFLD and/or liver fibrosis. The dietary intake of fats and fatty acids (FA) were assessed by two 24 h dietary recalls (24-HDR) ( = 451).

Effects of Selenium treatment on cardiac function in Chagas heart disease: Results from the STCC randomized Trial.

Background: Chagas disease (caused by infection) evolves to chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC) affecting 1.8 million people worldwide. This is the first randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, clinical trial designed to estimate efficacy and safety of selenium (Se) treatment in CCC.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and associated factors among patients with chronic Chagas disease.

The increase in life expectancy and the migration of individuals with Chagas disease (ChD) from rural to urban centers exposes them to the development of chronic-degenerative abnormalities that may increase the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The present study aimed to identify the prevalence of MetS and its components in individuals with chronic ChD. This is a cross-sectional study with 361 patients of both sexes, aging >18 years, followed at a national reference center (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).

Factors related to the discontinuation and mortality rates of a cardiac rehabilitation programme in patients with Chagas disease: a 6-year experience in a Brazilian tertiary centre.

Objectives: To describe the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of participants as well as discontinuation and mortality rates in a cardiac rehabilitation programme (CRP) tailored to Chagas disease (CD).

Methods: Participants underwent functional capacity, anthropometry and cardiac function evaluations before beginning a CRP. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were performed to investigate the associations between clinical and sociodemographic characteristics at baseline with discontinuation rates and deaths.

Exercise training improves microvascular function in patients with Chagas heart disease: Data from the PEACH study.

Background: Chagas heart disease (CHD) impairs the systemic microvascular function. We investigated the effects of exercise training on cutaneous microvascular function among patients with CHD.

Methods: Patients from the PEACH study were randomly assigned to a supervised exercise training 3 times/week for 6 months (Trained; n = 10) or a control group (Untrained; n = 8).

Acute and subacute hemodynamic responses and perception of effort in subjects with chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy submitted to different protocols of inspiratory muscle training: a cross-over trial.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate acute and subacute hemodynamic responses and perception of effort in individuals with CCC submitted to different IMT protocols.

Materials And Methods: This was a randomized cross-over trial conducted on CCC subjects with systolic left ventricular dysfunction (<45% left ventricular ejection fraction) without or with heart failure (stages B2 and C, respectively). Twenty-one participants performed two IMT protocols, one targeting 60% maximal inspiratory pressure with 3 × 10 repetitions (MIP60) and the other targeting 30% maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP30) with 3 × 20 repetitions with a 2 min recovery between sets for both.

A cardiac rehabilitation exercise program potentially inhibits progressive inflammation in patients with severe Chagas cardiomyopathy: A pilot single-arm clinical trial.

Background: Cardiac rehabilitation exerts anti-inflammatory effect on several cardiovascular diseases; however, these effects were not described for Chagas cardiomyopathy, which is associated with pro-inflammatory imbalance.

Materials And Methods: Ten patients with severe Chagas cardiomyopathy performed 8 months of exercise training in a cardiac rehabilitation program. Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), IL-8, IL-10, interferon gamma (IF-γ), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) serum levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at baseline, 4, and 8 months.

Effect of Physical Exercise Training in Patients With Chagas Heart Disease (from the PEACH STUDY).

Chagas heart disease (HD) is a chronic fibrosing myocarditis with high mortality. The PEACH study aimed to evaluate if exercise training can improve the functional capacity of Chagas HD patients with left ventricular dysfunction and/or heart failure. The PEACH study was a single center, parallel-group, clinical trial that randomized 30 clinical stable Chagas HD patients with left ventricular ejection fraction <45% or heart failure symptoms to either supervised exercise training 3 times/week for 6 months or a control group.

Predictive factors associated with liver fibrosis and steatosis by transient elastography in patients with HIV mono-infection under long-term combined antiretroviral therapy.

Introduction: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is characterized by the presence of hepatic steatosis and can be associated with fibrosis progression, development of cirrhosis and liver-related complications. Data on the prevalence of liver fibrosis and steatosis in HIV patients remain contradictory in resource-limited settings. We aimed to describe the prevalence and factors associated with liver fibrosis and steatosis in patients with HIV mono-infection under long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

A protocol update for the Selenium Treatment and Chagasic Cardiomyopathy (STCC) trial.

Unlabelled: Several studies evaluating clinical forms of chronic Chagas disease show that about one-third of patients present cardiac involvement. Heart failure, sudden death and cardioembolic stroke are the main mechanisms of death in Chagas heart disease. The impact of specific etiologic treatment on the prognosis of patients with chronic Chagas heart disease is very limited regardless of the presence or absence of heart failure.

Screening and evaluation of lymphatic filariasis in immigrants from endemic countries residing in a focus where it is considered eliminated in the Southern Region of Brazil: A risk of reemergence?

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) has been targeted by the World Health Organization for elimination by the year 2020. However, migration of infected individuals from areas where LF is endemic to areas considered non-endemic or foci for the control and elimination may jeopardize the achievement of this goal. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the occurrence of filarial infection by way of circulating filarial antigen (CFA) circulation using the point of care AD12-immunochromatography card (POC-ICT) among immigrants from Haiti residing in Chapecó, Santa Catarina, between May and October 2015.

New species of Stropharia from Araucaria angustifolia forests of southern Brazil.

Two new agaric species of Stropharia are described from Araucaria angustifolia (Brazilian pine) forests of southern Brazil. Stropharia agaricoides presents Agaricus-like basidiomes, small basidiospores (5-7 microm long) and pyriform cheilochrysocystidia. Stropharia venusta is characterized by the reddish to pinkish pileus, large basidiospores (12-15 microm long) and subclavate cheiloleptocystidia.